The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded more than $55 million in grants to four universities for new research facilities. The Rice University project stands out as it will support fundamental research in quantum physics and nanoengineering. Funded in part by the 2009 Recovery Act, this initiative allows NIST to quickly move resources to meritorious projects that were previously unfunded.
The new Rice facility, Brockman Hall, will consolidate physics research into a single building with specialized underground labs designed to control vibration and noise. These controlled environments are essential for quantum physics experiments, which require extreme stability to study atomic and molecular interactions. The building is expected to be completed in spring 2011 and will help advance NIST’s mission to improve measurement technologies and support scientific standards.
Keywords: nanoscale science, quantum physics, semiconductor electronics
