[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 132 (Thursday, July 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 37033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18118]



[[Page 37033]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Public Meeting to Announce an Opportunity to Collaborate With the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in a Program to 
Commercialize NIST's Transition-Edge-Sensor (TES) X-Ray 
Microcalorimeter Technology

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology invites 
interested parties to attend a meeting on August 8, 1997 to discuss the 
commercialization of NIST's transition-edge-sensor (TES) x-ray 
microcalorimeter technology. This is not a grant program.
    The objectives of the meeting are: (1) Brief industry on the 
current status of NIST's microcalorimeter technology (to include a 
laboratory tour); (2) Discuss potential commercialization paths for the 
TES x-ray microcalorimeter technology involving US manufacturers, 
including: nonexclusive licensing with multiple companies, exclusive 
licensing with a single company, co-exclusive licensing with a limited 
number of companies, informal NIST/industry collaboration, cooperative 
research and development agreements (CRADAs), and industry consortia.

DATES: The meeting will take place on August 8, 1997, beginning at 
10:00 a.m., Mountain Time.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at NIST's Boulder, Colorado, 
facilities: Room 1107, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO, 80303. Inquiries 
should be sent to Building 820, Room 213, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernest R. Graf, Telephone: 301-975-
2870; FAX: 301-869-2751; E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST's mission concerning its 
microcalorimeter technology is to provide to US manufacturers the 
methods and basic understanding that they need to provide and prove 
world leadership in performance, metrology, and quality of their 
products. The NIST microcalorimeter is in many ways superior to other 
low-temperature x-ray detectors. The current performance of the NIST 
microcalorimeter in terms of resolution, count rate, and collection 
solid angle makes it appropriate to consider commercialization.
    There are currently four NIST patents/patent applications that are 
related to the microcalorimeter. At the August 8, 1997 meeting NIST 
will also discuss other patented technology necessary for the 
commercialization of the microcalorimeter. International patent 
protection is possible on the third and fourth NIST inventions 
described below.
    (1) ``Particle Calorimeter with Normal Metal Base Layer;'' US 
Patent No. 5,634,718; issued June 3, 1997; NIST Docket No. 94-005; 
noticed in the Federal Register as available for licensing on March 22, 
1995. The patent describes the use of a normal metal absorber in a 
microcalorimeter, which gives significant advantages in increased 
detector speed and uniformity. Other claims in the patent are use of a 
normal metal absorber in measuring energy events with particles or 
photons other than x-rays, and construction using a thermally 
insulating membrane, normal metal superconductor (NS) contacts for 
thermal isolation, normal metal insulator superconductor (NIS) tunnel 
junctions, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) readout, 
ridge structures for fast heat diffusion, multiple temperature sensors 
for position readout and greater uniformity, and electronic heat pulses 
for calibration. This patent covers many aspects of our 
microcalorimeters based on transition edge sensors.
    (2) ``Superconducting Transition Edge Sensor;'' filed in August 26, 
1996; NIST Docket No. 96-033; noticed in the Federal Register is 
available for licensing on May 8, 1997. The invention describes a 
reliable and manufacturable method of producing a superconducting film 
with a transition temperature that is tunable and in the range of 
interest (from approximately 50 to 300 mK.) The superconducting 
components to the bilayers are Al and Ti. Al-based bilayers are readily 
manufacturable, produce reproducible transition temperatures, can be 
readily incorporated with microfabrication technology, and have great 
advantages over other superconductors for this application.
    (3) ``Microcalorimeter X-ray Detectors with X-ray Lens;'' filed 
March 5, 1997; NIST Docket No. 96-034; jointly owned with X-ray Optical 
Systems, Inc. The invention describes the combined use of polycapillary 
optics with microcalorimeter detectors. The invention enables present-
day microcalorimeter spectrometers with areas under 0.1 mm \2\ to have 
collection solid angles that are large enough for many practical 
applications. Although the construction of larger area detectors 
without capillary optics may be possible in the future, the use of x-
ray optics has fundamental advantages because they enable the use of 
small detectors, which consequently have faster count rates and higher 
resolution.
    (4) ``Improved Mechanical Support for Two Pill Adiabatic 
Demagnetization Refrigerators,'' to be filed in July 1997; NIST Docket 
No. 96-035. The invention mainly describes a practical implementation 
of dual KevlarTM string mechanical supports that are needed 
in a two pill refrigerator. We believe this invention makes the 
supports easier to manufacture, assemble, and maintain in the field.
    NIST anticipates that a challenge to the manufacturers of the above 
technology will be to understand, design, and manufacture the sub-
systems that are necessary to make the system operate; the patents 
themselves will not provide all the information needed.
    Because the manufacturers may not be familiar with the 
technologies' underlying subsystems, such as the infrared blocking x-
ray filters, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) construction, 
ADR control electronics, SQUID electronics readout, and detector 
manufacture and mounting, NIST offers the opportunity for a close 
working relationship to utilize NIST expertise to speed 
commercialization.

    Dated: July 3, 1997.
Elaine Bunten-Mines,
Director, Program Office, The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology.
[FR Doc. 97-18118 Filed 7-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-M