Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) has the highest competence and the best capabilities nationally in the field of metrology of time and frequency, temperature, electrical quantities, length, amount of substance and ionizing radiation. The capabilities and activities of the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of FTMC are the following:
In the field of time and frequency – measurements of frequency with relative uncertainty of the order of 10-13, measurements of time interval and time difference with the accuracy of about 1 ns, and calibration of relevant devices. NMI takes part in the formation of the Universal coordinated time (UTC) and realizes its local representation UTC(LT). It disseminates the UTC(LT) time scale via the internet by the protocols NTP and PTP; carries out the research in the field of timing over mobile telecommunication networks, phase noise and its reduction in various oscillator systems, etc. Together with the “Baltstamp” company, FTMC operates a time-stamping authority (TSA);
In the field of temperature – calibration of platinum resistance thermometers, thermocouples, and digital thermometers and thermometer calibration baths both at reference temperatures and at any temperatures necessary within the operating range of the standard. By using the cells of pure substances (Ar, Hg, H2O, Ga, Sn, Zn, Al, Ag and Cu), NMI realizes the international temperature scale ITS-90 in the temperature range from -189.3 oC to +1084.62 oC. The Lithuanian national standard of the temperature unit in the range from -195 oC to +961.78 oC is of primary level;
In the field of electrical quantities – measurements of DC voltage with the primary and secondary voltage standard (the best available relative uncertainty is 0.05 μV/V and 0.3 μV/V, correspondingly), resistance measurements with the best available relative uncertainty of 0.3 μΩ/Ω) as well as calibration of DC voltage meters and resistance meters (the best available relative uncertainty is 1.4 μV/V and 2 μΩ/Ω, correspondingly);
In the field of ionizing radiation – measurements of the absolute radionuclide activity by the primary and secondary methods: beta-emitters (3H, 14C, 36Cl, 63Ni, 90Sr, 99Tc, 129I) are standardized by the TDCR instrument with the standard uncertainty of (0.3 – 0.6)% (k = 1); radionuclides (18F, 60Co, 67Ga, 99mTc, 111In, 131I, 137Cs, 153Sm, 177Lu, 201Tl, 223Ra) are standardized by well-type dose calibrators with the standard uncertainty of (1.0 – 2.2)% (k = 1). Calibration of the sources, spectrometers, dose calibrators, and other devices. Fulfilling the research in the radionuclide dispersion and radioactive waste composition, measures various samples;
In the field of length – calibration of gauge block measurement value from 0.5 mm to 100 mm with expanded uncertainty Q [48 nm, 0.9 ´ 10-6 L] nm. Calibration of gauge block comparators with expanded uncertainty of 0.03 mm. Calibration of micrometers (measurement range (0-100) mm) with expanded uncertainty of 3.6 mm. Calibration of callipers (measurement range (0-1000) mm) with expanded uncertainty Q [60 mm, 10 ´ 10-6 L] nm. Calibration of dial gauge (measurement range (0-50) mm, resolution 0.01 mm) with expanded uncertainty Q [7 mm, 7 ´ 10-6 L] mm. Calibration of dial gauge (measurement range (0-50) mm, resolution 0.001 mm and 0.002 mm) with expanded uncertainty of 0.7 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively.
NMI operates its quality management system (QMS) according to ISO/IEC 17025:2018. The QMS is evaluated and recognized by the Technical Committee Quality (TC-Q) of EURAMET since 2003.
NMI takes part in local and international (organized by BIPM, EURAMET, IAEA, SIM) interlaboratory comparisons; NMI's calibration and measurement capabilities (CMCs) are published in the Key comparison database, KCDB by BIMP.
Expertise in these methods is gathered at the National Institute of Metrology (Head L. Galkauskas).