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An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Physics Laboratory Fiscal Year 2010 (2010) / Chapter Skim
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7 Time and Frequency Division
Pages 54-60

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From page 54...
... The division's outstanding staff members have produced the world's best time standard, the world's smallest atomic clock, and the world's most popular time dissemination system. There has been progress in improving the existing laboratory space, and improved operational efficiency has been achieved as a result.
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From page 55...
... , phasenoise metrology, NIST network time services, and chip-scale atomic clocks and sensors. An important area of concern is related to the declining and inadequate funding supplied to division core services, such as network time services, radio stations, time and frequency calibrations, and maintaining the operation of the F-1 time standard.
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From page 56...
...  Quantum Information Processing: -- Sole technology to demonstrate all seven DiVincenzo criteria for scalable quantum computing; first single-atom quantum logic gate; first deterministic entanglement; first robust error correction; first quantum teleportation of massive particles; first quantum Fourier transforms. -- The ability to perform quantum processing and an extensive demonstration of quantum logic operations is very significant.
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From page 57...
... The division's productivity will be improved by increasing the number of technical support personnel. As an example, the most senior staff member associated with the establishment of the NIST timescale and Network Time Services is spending an excessive amount of his time responding to an IT audit.
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From page 58...
... Assessment Relative to Achievement of Stated Objectives and Desired Impact As an excellent example of serving the nation, the NIST Internet Time Service continues to grow in use, with an average of more than 3 billion automated synchronizations of computers and network devices every day. The service continues to expand the number and geographical diversity of servers across the United States to meet the continually growing demand.
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From page 59...
... For example, the chip-scale device activities, which could have significant commercial applications, should be supported for their next level of development. Some of its very important services require higher attention, for example, the network time services, radio time stations, time and frequency calibrations, and maintaining the operation of the F-1 time standard.
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From page 60...
... -- The need for support staff should be reexamined to ensure that the time spent by senior researchers is best utilized. -- The need for expanded funding for core metrology functions and services is apparent.
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Key Terms

  • network time
  • frequency standards
  • time standard
  • time services
  • time code

  • frequency calibrations
  • nist timescale
  • temporary staff
  • permanent staff
  • atomic clocks

  • core metrology
  • existing laboratory
  • quantum logic
  • optical frequency
  • primary frequency

  • laser frequency
  • frequency combs
  • remote time
  • wwvb time
  • time dissemination

  • nist network
  • code station
  • aluminum ion
  • primary responsibilities
  • support staff

  • billion automated
  • quantum computing
  • laboratory space
  • femtosecond laser
  • device fabrication


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