NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY
(NPL)
MANDATE
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To establish, maintain
and improve National Standards of measurements, and to realize the 'Units'
based on International System (under the Subordinate Legislations of Weights
and Measures Act 1956, reissued in 1988 under the 1976 Act).
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To carry out R&D
work to advance the frontiers of knowledge in various areas of physics
and applying the knowledge for the technological advancement of the country.
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To assist industries,
national and other agencies by offering consultancy services for precision
measurements, calibration, development of devices, processes, and solving
other allied problems related to physics.
MAIN FACILITIES
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Facilities for calibration
of instruments/equipment of various types.
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Instrumental facilities
for characterization of materials, viz. their composition, purity and structure.The
instruments include:scanning electron microscope (Jeol-JSM-35CF);Fourier
transform infrared spectrometer (Digital-FTS 20 E/U); X-Ray fluorescence
spectrometer (Rigaku-3070E);atomic absorption spectrometer (Varian-Spectra
A-10 ABQ);electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer(Varian E-line Century
series);gas chromotograph (Perkin-Elmer-Sigma 2000);1 controlled powder
X-ray defractometer(Siemens-D 5000);and transmission electron microscope
with scanning attachment(Jeol-JEM-200 CX).
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Facilities for evaluation
of crystalline perfection of single crystals, high resolution X-ray diffraction
techniques, diffractometry, topography, diffuse X-ray scattering and stress
measurements.
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Facilities for measurement
of surface area and porosity.
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Databases for long-
and short- term forecasting in ionospheric and tropospheric communication;
NPL has been serving as an Associate Regional Warning Centre (ARWC) as
a part of an international system of rapid exchange of solar, magnetic
and ionospheric data.
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A well stacked library.
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Well-equipped mechanical
and glass workshops.
SIGNIFICANT
ACHIEVEMENTS
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NPL has the responsibility
of co-ordination of calibration activity in the country on behalf of
the Government of India for implementation of its National Programme of
Accreditation of Laboratories which is upgraded from time to time.Presently
these laboratories are accredited as per ISO-guide 25 requirements.This
programme is operated under National Accreditation Board for Testing and
Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
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Technology for following
materials of commercial importance have been developed and transferred
to private industries for commercilaization:(i) flexible graphite for seals,
gaskets, gland packing etc. used in refineries, petrochemicals industry,
thermal power stations, etc,;(ii) glassy carbons for fuel cells and biochemical
applications;(iii) carbon fibres for industrial applications;and (iv) activated
carbon fibres for pollution control.
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NPL has been a major
participant in all the Indian scientific expeditions to the Antarctica
and has carried out studies on planetary boundary layer, greenhouse gas
concentration and trends for CO2, CH4,
N20, 03 and UV-B radiation.Atmospheric monitoring
and budget setimate, especially of greenhouse gases from different sources,
e.g. biomass burning, paddy cultivation and wetlands, are being carried
out to assess their impact on atmospheric chemistry and global climate
change under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme.
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A highly sophisticated
laser heterodyne system, designed and developed using a tunable CO2
laser as a local oscillator and sun as a source with 1GHz acousto-optic
spectrometer (AOS) as back-end, has been set up at Maitri (70o46'
S, 11o44' E) the Indian Antartica station to measure the vertical
profiles of minor constituents in the stratosphere and troposphere.This
highly sophisticated system has been used for the first time to measure
vertical profiles of Ozone over Antartic regions during the 13th
Antartic expedition in January-February 1994.
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NPL has successfully
designed, developed and fabricated a Doppler mini sodar to gather information
on wind velocity, thermal structure etc. of the lower boundary layer of
the atmosphere. This system has been developed using the FFT technique
for determining Doppler shifts.
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PC-based sodar systems
have been installed at several industrial units around the country to collect
data for inversion climatology and mixing height studies. A data bank has
also been created for various sites and is being used for dispersion modelling
and environment impact assessment studies.
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Six reference materials
of lead, cadmium, arsenic and chromium which are of significant importance
in relation to environmental pollution control and monitoring have been
prepared and are being supplied by NPL.
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NPL is an active
centre of R&D pertaining to conventional as well as high Tc superconductors.Some
of the important studies undertaken in the recent past include:(i) STM
studies of growth spirals in bulk single crystal and the problem of critical
density;(ii) Interlayer coupling effects and optimization of Tc of Bi-221
high Tc cuprates;(iii) substitution studies in Y-124 cuprates;(iv) studies
on Y-123 systems; and (v) high Tc Josephson junction and SQUIDS.
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NPL broadcasts of
Standard Time and Frequency Signals (STFs) via IN-SAT have made it possible
to achieve time and frequency synchronization of a very high order,
anywhere in India.Power stations hooked to the National Grid use this facility
for real time reference in event recorders.All India Radio uses frequency
synchronization to save radio space.
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Two sophisticated
retarding potential analysers (RPA) payloads designed and fabricated to
study the low latitude ionosphere and thermosphere were launched on two
Indian satellites viz. SROSS-C, SROSS-C2 in May 1993 and May 1994 resoectively.
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A hand held glucose
biosensor has been developed and commercialized,This easy to use
glucose monitor comprises a strip type glucose electrode connected to an
electronic instrument. The response time sensitivity range and shelf
life of the glucose strip have been measured as 40 s, 40-600 mg/dL, and
4 months respectively.Development of a third generation glucose biosensor
based on physically immobalized glucose oxidase in p-toulene sulphonate
doped poly-pyrrole firms is underway.
DIRECTOR
Prof. E S R Gopal, M.A.,
M.Sc., Ph.D, F.N.A., F.A.Sc.,
F.N.A.Sc., F.Inst.P.
CONTACT ADDRESS
Dr K.
S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi. 110 012.
Telephone: (091)11-5787161
Telegram : NATPHYLAB NEWDELHI
Telex : 031-77099 NPL IN;
031-77384 RSD IN.
Fax : (091)11-5752678
(091)11-5714189.
E-Mail : %npl@sirnetd.ernet.in.
copyright(c)National Physics Laboratory,
New Delhi, 1997.
Created and Hosted by NIO, Goa.