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In the past few years, optical atomic clocks have made spectacular progress, becoming 100 times more precise than the best caesium clocks. So far, their precision has been available only locally, since frequency transfer via satellite cannot provide sufficient resolution. This has recently changed thanks to a new direct optical connection between France and Germany, established by joint work of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Systèmes de Référence Temps-Espace (LNE-SYRTE) in Paris, and Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers (LPL) in Villetaneuse. High-precision optical frequencies can now "travel" through a 1400 km optical fibre link between LNE-SYRTE and PTB, where the most precise optical clocks in Europe are operated. The first comparison between the French and German optical strontium clocks confirms the high expectations placed in the connection. It represents the first frequency comparison of its kind...

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Der bedeutendste Preis der Metrologie, der Wissenschaft des Messens, wird am 22. Juni 2016 in Braunschweig verliehen. Die Feierlichkeiten finden im Seminarzentrum der Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesanstalt (PTB) statt, im Rahmen eines internationalen Symposiums, zu dem Messtechnikexperten aus aller Welt erwartet werden. Symposium und Preisverleihung sind öffentlich und erfolgen in englischer Sprache. Am Abend bittet der Oberbürgermeister alle Preisträger und Symposiumsteilnehmer zum Empfang in die Dornse, die „gute Stube“ der Stadt Braunschweig.

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Großer Erfolg für die Quantenmetrologie: Die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) richtet zum 1. Juli 2016 den neuen Sonderforschungsbereich 1227 „Designte Quantenzustände der Materie (DQ-mat) – Erzeugung, Manipulation und Detektion für metrologische Anwendungen und Tests fundamentaler Physik“ an der Leibniz Universität Hannover ein. Die beteiligten Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler werden daran arbeiten, die besonderen Eigenschaften von quantenmechanischen Systemen für bessere Quantensensoren wie zum Beispiel optische Uhren und Beschleunigungsmesser zu erschließen. Beteiligt sind außer der Leibniz Universität Hannover (Institut für Quantenoptik, Institut für Theoretische Physik und Institut für Didaktik der Mathematik und Physik) die Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig und das Zentrum für angewandte Raumfahrttechnologie und Mikrogravitation (ZARM) der Universität Bremen. Der SFB ist auf eine Laufzeit von...

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In principle, helium doesn’t like combining with its ilk at all. Yet, occasionally, it does exactly this, albeit with extremely slight binding energies. Scientists at Goethe University Frankfurt have successfully measured these energies for the first time. For this metrological sensation, they are to be honored with this year’s Helmholtz Prize together with their fellow researchers in Cambridge. The Cambridge researchers have enhanced the single-molecule measurement technique, which is already established in DNA analysis, in a revolutionary way using nanopores, thereby creating the conditions to, in theory, be able to detect any number of different protein molecules within the same measurement. The Helmholtz Prize’s categories of “fundamentals” and “applications” are each endowed with 20,000 euros; the prize is considered to be one of the world’s most prominent distinctions in the field of metrology, the science of precise measurement.

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Nanotechnologie umfasst ein breites Spektrum zukunftsweisender Querschnitts­technologien. Ein Schlüssel zu ihrer Weiterentwicklung ist eine präzise Messtechnik, um Nanosysteme zu beschreiben, zu verstehen und herzustellen. Zur Stärkung des Forschungsschwerpunkts Nanometrologie baut das Land Niedersachsen für die TU Braunschweig ein neues Gebäude für das Forschungszentrum LENA. Bund und Land investieren gemeinsam über 33 Millionen Euro in den Forschungsbau. Er wird über eine hervorragende Ausstattung an Großgeräten für die Nanoanalytik verfügen.

Das Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA) ist ein Forschungszentrum der Technischen Universität Braunschweig, das in enger Kooperation mit der Physikalisch Technischen Bundesanstalt Braunschweig gegründet wurde und in Kooperation der beteiligten Institute bereits betrieben wird. 

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By founding the “Niedersächsische Arbeitsgemeinschaft Akustik” (Acoustics Study Group of Lower Saxony – NAGA), five institutions from the region of south-east Lower Saxony have agreed to enhance cooperation in research and teaching. The Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS), the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), the Technische Universität Clausthal (TUC), the Leibniz Universität Hannover and PTB expect that this will bring about a more efficient utilization of their excellent test and measurement facilities as well as improved visibility of the region’s competence in the field of acoustics. They also aim to establish a joint master’s degree program in acoustics.

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At the first groundbreaking (from left to right): Dr. Harald Müller (PTB), Dr. Rolf Kumme (PTB), Dr. Karin Kniel (PTB), Dr. Frank Härtig (PTB, project coordinator), Prof. Dr. Joachim Ullrich (PTB, President), Renate Müller-Steinweg (public building construction management), Juliane and Peter von Klitzing (architects), Hendrik Welp (architect), Dr. Christian Schlegel (PTB)

As the first national metrology institute in the world to do so, PTB is planning to provide reliable and comprehensive quality assurance to the wind energy industry. To this end, a new building is being built on the premises of PTB in Braunschweig: The Wind Energy Competence Center. This building will house a large coordinate measuring machine which can be used to measure very large components of wind turbines. The building will also contain measurement and calibration facilities for very large torques, as well as wind speed measurement instruments by means of which the yield forecasts of high wind turbines can be improved.

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Since 1 April 2016, Andrey Surzhykov has held the position of W3 Professor for Fundamental Physics of Metrology. This was preceded by a joint professorial appointment by PTB together with TU Braunschweig. One focus of Surzhykov’s work is the relativistic theory of atomic systems in order to find new approaches to testing fundamental constants and new approaches to inspecting the standard model of fundamental particles and interactions.

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Awards

Frank Härtig

In January, the head of Division 1 (Mechanics and Acoustics) was made an honorary professor by the Institute of Ultra-precision Optoelectronic Instrument Engineering of the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), a university in Harbin, China, based on his work in the field of metrology and his pioneering developments in the field of traceability of metrological algorithms.

Harald Schnatz

The head of Department 4.3 (Quantum Optics and Unit of Length), was presented with the European Frequency and Time Award 2016 at the European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF), which took place from 4-7 April 2016 in York.

 


Nils Huntemann,

a staff member of Department 4.4 (Time and Frequency), was presented with the European Frequency and Time Forum (EFTF) Young Scientist Award at the EFTF 2016.

 

 

Ingo Kröger

In December, the staff member of Department 4.1 (Photometry and Applied Radiometry) was named a Young Scientist of the...

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Awards

Manfred Peters
Prof. Manfred PetersThe former Vice President of PTB has been awarded the 2015 Ludwik Finkelstein Medal. With this distinction, the Institute of Measurement and Control, an internationally active organization of engineers which is headquartered in the United Kingdom, has honored his many years of substantial contributions to international metrology. The Institute further noted that Dr. Peters, whose accomplishments include his term as president of the IMEKO (International Measurement Confederation) from 2000 to 2003, played an active, prominent role in international metrology for over 40 years.

 

Rolf BehrensRolf Behrens
a staff member of Department 6.3, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, has been awarded the IEC 1906 Award. With this award, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has honored him for his expertise and dedication to international standardization.

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