National Physical Laboratory

Quantum Photonics Science + Technology

Excellent science forms the core part of NPL's strategy and underpins all other activities. It is the foundation on which NPL operates and always will be the priority - driving innovation, supporting industry and improving quality of life, both for the UK and internationally.


Latest science stories

Latest science posters from NPL

  • NPL Auriga FIB-SEM

    The NPL Zeiss Auriga 60 focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) is a major facility for 3D microstructural characterisation of materials.

  • Laser-based acousto-optic mapping

    NPL has developed a laser-based acoustic mapping technique, collaborating with PMC loudspeakers to adapt the technique into a valuable design tool.

  • Improved ultrasound CT of breasts for cancer screening

    A team of scientists from NPL and the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust have successfully completed an initial trial of a new, potentially more reliable, technique for screening breast cancer using ultrasound

  • Three-dimensional characterisation of a novel vibrating tactile probe for miniature CMMs

    Miniature CMMs are ideal for high accuracy tactile measurement of sub-millimetre scale features on centimetre and millimetre-sized objects to sub-micrometre accuracy. Current efforts to enhance the capability of miniature CMMs are focused on the development of new probing systems.

  • Adaptive optics fluorescence microscopy of C. elegans

    The C. elegans nematode is one the most widely studied model organisms in biological research and is routinely used to investigate the development and functioning of the nervous system.

Ever since opening in 1900, NPL has strived to deliver the highest social and economic impact through world-class measurement science, innovative applied research and knowledge services.

NPL maintains a wide portfolio of internationally visible research programmes that advance measurement science, underpin the SI system of measurement units and support various cross-disciplinary technologies.

Outstanding people

Over 500 scientists are employed across almost every discipline, from physicists to biochemists, and mathematicians to materials scientists. These passionate people deliver solutions to a wide range of problems for government, industry and other organisations, often well beyond the scope of measurement science.

World-class facilities

Research activities are housed in a state-of-the-art building providing 36,000 m² of custom-designed laboratories and support facilities. This enables the highest precision measurements to be realised, many of which exploit effects at the atomic level.

Collaboration

Collaboration is fundamental to much of NPL's research and scientists work with UK and international universities, as well as with other National Measurement Institutes and companies, from small start-ups to large multi-national corporations.

For more information on our work with commercial organisations, please visit the Commercial Services pages.

Science quality at NPL is monitored internally by our Chief Scientist, key scientists, and Knowledge Leaders, and externally via regular visits from the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering