NIST Noise Thermometry
NIST offers research into precise temperature measurement using Johnson Noise Thermometry to improve international standards and potentially redefine the Boltzmann constant.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year for a 2-year term; $3,000 travel allowance included.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at NIST to conduct experimental research on advanced Johnson Noise Thermometry techniques for precise temperature measurement and fundamental thermodynamic constants.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a Ph.D. earned within the last 5 years; research impacts international temperature standards and the SI system.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on experimental investigations into Johnson Noise Thermometry (JNT), a technique that measures the fundamental electronic fluctuations in voltage and current in normal conductors to determine thermodynamic temperature. The research aims to improve the precision of temperature measurement, contributing to the redefinition of the Boltzmann constant and enhancing international temperature dissemination standards.
Key research areas include:
- Absolute JNT as a primary thermometer with uncertainty benchmarks currently at 12 ppm at the triple point of water, with recent advances achieving 3 ppm statistical uncertainty.
- Relative temperature scaling techniques comparing thermodynamic noise temperature to the ITS-90 international temperature scale.
- Thermodynamic realizations at high temperatures (505 K to 933 K) impacting the platinum reference function used internationally.
- Development and application of new signal processing technologies and electronic design methods.
The research is a collaboration between NIST's Sensor Science Division in Gaithersburg, MD, and the Quantum Electromagnetics Division in Boulder, CO. This opportunity is specifically for the Gaithersburg location.
