phoenix Gift. 5-6-76 FOREWORD For nearly seventy-five years, the National Bureau of Bonent Amblr. Ernest Ambler On the cover ... Close-up view of a simulated experimental arrangement for laser excitation INTRODUCTION Among the major technical facilities of the NBS laboratories in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo. are some which are unique and many which feature equipment that is relatively uncommon. These important resources deserve to be more widely known and used by the scientific and engineering community, including the Bureau's own staff, other Government agencies, industrial research associates, academic researchers, and postdoctoral fellows. However, it should be noted that the Bureau cannot accept work for these facilities which is more appropriately done by other organizations in or outside of the Federal Government. Those facilities which are available for shared use, either occasional or extended, are briefly described in the pages of this publication. For each is indicated its technical capabilities, its potential applications, and whom to contact in making arrangements. Literature references which give more detailed information as to the structure and usefulness of these facilities are included for many of the units described. While there will be no charge made for use of the facility by NBS workers on RTS-funded projects, all activities funded from outside NBS will be required to pay costs intended to recover operating expenses. The staff will be glad to discuss with interested individuals a specific research or testing problem for which the equipment appears appropriate. Long term projects require a written agreement which specifies the extent of the participation of the staff responsible for the facility, the allocation of costs, and the provisions for publication of research results. NBS capabilities related to scientific and technical equipment include also: Calibration to U.S. national standards-contact J. M. Cameron, Chief of the Office of Measurement Services, Physics Building, Room A345, Phone 301/ 921-2805. Provision of well-characterized substances-contact J. P. Cali, Chief of the Office of Standard Reference Materials, Chemistry Building, Room B306, Phone 301/921-3479. Information on evaluated data for physical properties-contact Dr. D. R. Lide, Jr., Chief of the Office of Standard Reference Data, Administration Building, Room A537, Phone 301/921-2467. Information on U.S. and foreign documents on voluntary engineering standards-contact W. J. Slattery, Standards Information Services, Technology Building, Room B160, Phone 301/921-2587. Information on automatic data processing equipment and standards-contact Chief of Computer Information, Technology Building, Room B246, Phone 301/921-3517. Visitors will find the Gaithersburg laboratories 20 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. (mail address, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234) and the Boulder laboratories 25 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado (mail address, National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colo. 80302). Micrograph made with the TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE of the region surrounding a 200 gram Vickers microhardness indentation in sapphire (a-Al,O,). The instrument is being used to study plastic deformation and the structure of cracks (at C) in hard brittle materials. |