Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

The area "Fundamentals of Metrology" covers the work as defined in the Statutes for the realization and dissemination of the SI units and of legal time. These activities encompass in particular the development and provision of primary standards and standard measuring devices as well as of the secondary and transfer standards needed for the dissemination of the units. The mission is "to provide the foundation for the national metrology system, which meets the present and foreseeable future requirements".

Especially challenging is the task to provide traceability of the SI units to fundamental constants, as has already succeeded for the second, the metre, the volt and the ohm, because, at least in our present understanding of physics, it can then be assumed that the individual units have been realized independently of location and time. The decision of the Comité International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) to initiate preparatory measures for the redefinition of the units ampere, kelvin, kilogram and mole on the basis of natural constants has conferred additional topicality and importance to these activities. But also for the realization of units on the basis of classical principles, e.g. for dimensional metrology, the requirements for tolerable uncertainties increase permanently so that the existing technologies must be improved or new technologies be developed. Of increasing importance is the traceability of measurements in analytical and especially in clinical chemistry to internationally recognized standards or standard measuring devices developed and operated at the PTB and by its cooperation partners (BAM, UBA, DGKL) for selected organic and anorganic analytes. Of particular importance to society is the development of standards and standard measuring devices for medical diagnostics and therapy followup, for example for the dosimetry of ionizing radiation, ultrasound diagnostics or optical, bioelectric, biomagnetic and NMR diagnostic methods.

In the area "Fundamentals of Metrology", the share of research and development is very large, covering essential fields of modern natural and engineering sciences. The results not only provide the prerequisite for the development and realization of precise standards but also furnish – often in cooperation with university and non-university partners – important findings for the natural and engineering sciences in general.