On the redefinition of the kilogram

Dr Philippe RICHARD

Agenda
1. Recent history of IPK and new SI
2. The CCM conditions
3. The joint CCM and CCU roadmap
4. The mise en pratique of the definition of the kg
5. The WB and XRCD routes
6. Traceability wrt to IPK
7. Consistency of results
8. Validation (pilot study)
9. Raising awareness
10. Conclusions
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Present definition
IPK

"The kilogram is the unit

of mass; it is equal to the
mass of the international
prototype of the
kilogram." (CGPM, 1901)
... immediately after
cleaning and washing by
a specified method (mise
en pratique, CIPM
1989).

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Present BIPM cleaning and washing method

Wash with ethanol
+ ether + chamois
leather

Rinse with
steam

1 kg
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Present hierarchy of mass scale

IPK rarely used (every 50 years)
Physical properties no better than those of national
prototypes

NMIJ

METAS

NMI n
n 50

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The swiss [No 38] and the japanese [No 6]

prototypes of the kilogram

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Why change the present definition?

Advantages of the present definition
Consistency of mass measurements worldwide
Simple and concise
Very easy to understand

Disadvantages (= reasons to change)

Verification of the prototypes only every 50 years
Drift of prototypes between verifications
IPK is not an absolute reference, the long-term drift of IPK is
unknown
Risk (damage, loss)
Local, unique
Electrical units in a conventional system

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Some orders of magnitude

0.2 g

Classical mass metrology at 1 kg

(comparison of two identical objects)

2.0 g
3.5 g

BIPM uncertainty (3rd periodic verification)

BIPM uncertainty (extraordinary calibration)

19 g
20 g

Realization with the best watt balance

Best realization with the XRCD experiment

29 g

CMC NMIJ (mass standards)

290 g

METAS watt balance I (2011)

< 20 g

METAS watt balance II (2017)

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Uncertainty versus stability

Before redefinition
Realization with an uncertainty
of about 3 g
But estimated drift up to 50 g
in 100 years (may be more)
After redefinition
Realization with an uncertainty
of 10 g to 20 g
But long term drift reduced
to zero
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Redefinition of the kilogram in 2018

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General Conferences and the kilogram

1st CGPM (1889) The Prototype of the kilogram adopted
by the CIPM. This prototype shall henceforth be
considered as the unit of mass
3rd CGPM (1901) The kilogram is the unit of
mass; it is equal to the mass of the
international prototype of the kilogram
21st CGPM (1999) Resolution 7:
On the definition of the kilogram
24th CGPM (2011) Resolution 1: On the
possible future revision of the International System of
Units (SI)
25th CGPM (2014) Resolution 1:
On the future revision of the SI
26th CGPM (2018)
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CCM conditions (before redefinition)

R1 Consistency
Three independent experiments (XRCD & WB)
with consistent results with urel < 510-8
R2 Uncertainty
at least one result with urel < 210-8
R3 Traceability
Extraordinary calibration with IPK @ BIPM
R4 Validation
Validation of the mise en pratique according to
the CIPM-MRA
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Joint CCM and CCU roadmap 2018

14
CCM

CCU
Convocation

Metrologia special edition

CGPM

Mise en pratique (mep kg)

15
CCM

(with references for the mep)

mep kg
approved

updated mep kg
16 approved
(preparation, measurements & report) CCM
CCM
CCU
R4
Traceability
CCM
Consultation / announcement
R3
to IPK
Initial pilot study (kg)

BIPM extraordinary
calibration with IPK

CCU

XRCD and available WB publish consistent results

BIPM pool established

CCM
R1&2

and characterized

CIPM
Pool linked to experiments

European kNOW and NewKILO projects

NMI directors

2013

2014

2015

Conditions from CCM Recommendation G1 (2013)

2016

01.07.2017
Closing date
for new data

meetings

CODATA
(final LSA)

Convocation

2017

CGPM

2018
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Mise en pratique of the definition of the kilogram

Redefinition of the kilogram
Select a constant measured in terms of the IPK
Formulate a definition of the kilogram based on this
constant
Write the mise en pratique of the definition
In the case of the Planck constant, the constants that
define the second and the metre are also needed.
The mise en pratique recommends primary methods of
practical realization of the mass unit.
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The mise en pratique of the definition of the kilogram

Provisionally approved by the CCM in February 2015
Available on the CCM website
(http://www.bipm.org/en/committees/cc/ccm)
Final approval in 2017
Special issue of Metrologia Realization,
maintenance and dissemination of the new kilogram
planned for 2017 to provide essential references
cited in the mise en pratique

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The Watt Balance route

1. Determine the numerical value of h in the present SI
other SI base units (s, m)
present definition
of the kilogram
IPK

Planck
constant, h

2. Redefine the kilogram by fixing this numerical value

Planck constant,
h fixed

new definition
of the kilogram

3. Use the fixed Planck constant to realize the kilogram

(measurement duration: about 1 month)
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WB Principle (1): static phase / weighing mode

mg

I d B =
mg
I=

Uj
R

(QHE & JVS)

WB Principle (2): dynamic phase / velocity mode

U ind =v d B

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WB Principle (3): combination of modes

Only if Gm = Ge

G(=
B, )

mg
=
I

U
v

UI = m g v

static dynamic
electrical
power

mechanical
power

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WB Principle (4): combination of modes

Using the expressions from quantum physics (QHE & JVS)

h
U = C J U J = C J nJ
fJ
2e

h
R= CH RH = CH
2
nH e

f J1 f J 2
m=C
h
gv
C=

CJ 1 nJ 1 CJ 2 nJ 2 nH
4 CH

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An example

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The projects around the world

Coming soon...

KRISS (Korea); MSL (New Zealand), UME (Turkey)

The XRCD route (Avogadro collaboration)

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Counting the number of atoms in a silicon crystal

sphere

MSi Vsphere
NA =
3
8 d220 msphere

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The XRCD route

Before redefinition (stable parameters)

Molar mass (isotopic composition)

Crystal perfection (impurity content)
Lattice parameter

Measured only once (duration about 6 month)

After redefinition (changing parameters)

Volume
Surface layer characterization

Measured for each primary realization

(duration: about 1 month)

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Traceabillity with respect to IPK

CCM Recommendation (2010)
On the use of the international prototype of the
kilogram to confirm the traceability of the BIPM
prototypes
Comparison of IPK and BIPM official copies (2014)
Metrologia 52 (2015) 310316
Re-calibration of NMI Pt/Ir prototype (2014 2015)
(only NMIs with available primary methods)

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Mass evolution of the BIPM official copies

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Extraordinary calibrations
Repeatibility of weighings of the prototypes 0.5 g
IPK and six official copies behaved consistently
during cleaning and washing
Mass change of the official copies with respect to the
IPK since the 3rd Periodic Verification (1988-1992)
on average by only -2 g
The mass increase of the official copies with respect
to the IPK is stopped !
The NMI transfer standards were recalibrated with
respect to the IPK in 2015
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Consistency and uncertainty (latest results)

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Consistency analysis
First statistical evaluation of consistency was
presented at the CCM in February 2015
CODATA 2014 adjustment is claiming consistency
CCM will keep this under review as further results
become available until mid 2017
and inform the CIPM
2
well within
CCM is expecting a obs
the high-density region of the PDF

CCM will have to decide about consistency at its next

meeting in 2017
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Validation (pilot study)

Check the validation of procedures for the future
realization and dissemination of the kilogram as
described in the mise en pratique.
The primary methods should be compared as directly
as possible using real data acquired during the pilot
study
Link the BIPM ensemble of reference mass standards
to primary realizations
Limited to NMIs capable of realizing the mass unit
with low uncertainty
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Validation (pilot study)

Comparison of the realization of the kilogram:
Determination of the mass values of a set of
transfer standards in vacuum based on a
numerical value for h, stated in the protocol
Comparison of the dissemination of the kilogram:
Determination of the mass values of a set of
transfer standards in air, traceable to the primary
realization
Measurements in 2016
The results should be available by the next CCM
meeting in 2017
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Raising awareness
Can I get traceability to the SI kilogram using a
watt balance?
Z
X

arXiv:1412.1699v1
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Raising awareness
Some major stakeholders never heard of the Planck
constant and are still suspicious that it can be used
successfully to define the kilogram
The question of whether every
NMI now needs a watt balance
or a 28Si sphere instead of a
national prototype still arises

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Raising awareness
Concerns electricity also, due to discontinuity between
1990 conventional units and SI units in the new SI
Information of the scientific
community and the general
public is to be intensified
between now and 2018
Official campaign from
CCU as a CIPM task group
According to the roadmap,
consultations and information should lay
open questions to rest by 2018
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CCM conditions: present situation

R1 Consistency

Data published recently include three

independent experimental results
with relative uncertainties < 50 g/kg,
the total set of data is very close
to consistency,
further experimental results expected

R2 Uncertainty

Data published recently include two

experimental results with relative
uncertainty < 20 g/kg,
further experimental results expected

R3 Traceability

Fully established

R4 Validation

on-going (measurements in 2016)

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Future definition of the kilogram

The kilogram, symbol kg, is the SI unit of mass.
It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value
of the Planck constant h to be 6.626 070 040
1034 when expressed in the unit J s, which is
equal to kg m2 s1, where the metre and the
second are defined in terms of c and Cs.

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Conclusions
The CCM (and the CCU) continue their planning and
hard work to be ready for 2018 according to the joint
roadmap
No significant deviation on the timeline of the joint
roadmap is expected
The 26th CGPM will take place in 2018
Excellent recent results and very good reasons to be
optimistic for an important change of the SI in 2018

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Conclusions
After 2018, the IPK
will not any more
have a special status
among the standards
in use at the BIPM

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Be ready for 2018 !

Thank you very much