An experiment for direct measurement of the atomic mass unit is proposed. A mononuclidic ion flux is collected and accumulated to an amount that can be weighed with high accuracy. Simultaneously, the ion current is measured and integrated. By means of voltage and resistance references based on the Josephson and the quantum Hall effect, the mass is then related to atomic mass by frequency counting over a certain time interval. This experiment may enable a new, physical definition of the kilogram.
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