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 B159, Phone 301/921-2587. Information on automatic data processing equipment and standards-contact Miss M. R. Fox, 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-Al2O3). The instrument is being used to study plastic deformation and the structure of cracks (at C) in hard brittle materials. ACCELERATORS LINEAR ELECTRON ACCELERATOR. Linac beam handling system. ELECTRON VAN DE GRAAFF ACCELERATOR, 4 MeV This accelerator, based on the principle of the Van de Graaff electrostatic generator, produces both continuous and pulsed beams of electrons with good energy resolution and continuous control of beam current and energy. Its capabilities make possible a wide. variety of experiments using electrons or photons. Capability: ENERGY: continuously variable 0.8 to 4.0 MeV. OUTPUT CURRENT: 10- to 10- ampere dc. PULSE LENGTH: 1 microsecond. Applications: Interactions of electrons and photons with matter; dosimetry measurements; isomer activation; electron channeling in solids; bremsstrahlung production studies; characteristic radiation production; nuclear activation; photofission experiments; radiation simulation measurements; radiation damage and failure studies. Availability: Beam time is available to NBS staff, other agency and university users, industrial users, and guest workers. Operation only by qualified X-Ray Physics Section staff, under Dr. Charles E. Dick. Literature: NBS Technical News Bulletin, August 1962, Vol. 46, No. 8, pages 107-110. Contact: Dr. J. W. Motz, Chief of Applied Radiation Division, Radiation Physics Building, Room C216, Phone 301-921-2201. LINEAR ELECTRON The linear accelerator (linac) facility was designed for maximum flexibility, beam quality, and beam hanIdling to satisfy the needs of a large variety of programs. It is a high-intensity source of electron, photon, and neutron beams with excellent stability and definition. Capability: ENERGY: continuously variable 10 to 150 MeV. POWER: 80 kilowatts, average. CURRENT: 0.8 milliamperes, average 3.5 amperes, peak (short pulse operation). REPETITION RATE: variable to 720 pps. PULSE LENGTH: 0.001 to 6 microseconds. ENERGY SPREAD: from linac, 2 percent full width at half maximum; from beam handling system, 0.04 percent full width at half maxi mum. EXPERIMENTAL ROOMS: three, with personnel access to one while beam is directed into another. An on-line data handling system is available, and data reduction programs are available. Applications: Neutron total cross section measurements by time of flight (above-ground facility); neutron fission yields; neutron flux standards; neutron capture cross sections; fast neutron activation analysis; electron and photon dosimentry; pulsed radiolysis of biochemical systems; electron scattering; electrodisintegration of light nuclei; photonuclear physics with monoenergetic and polarized photons; photon activation analysis; dosimetry and dose distribution using radiochromic dyes; electron and photon beam measurement standards; production of radioactive sources. Availability: Beam time is available to NBS staff, other agency and university users, industrial users, and guest workers. Operation only by qualified Linac Operations Section staff under J. E. Rose. Literature: NBS Technical News Bulletin, August 1962, |