Intercomparison of the LBIR Absolute Cryogenic Radiometers to the NIST Optical Power Measurement Standard

The Low Background Infrared calibration (LBIR) facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) presently maintains four absolute cryogenic radiometers (ACRs) which serve as standard reference detectors for infrared calibrations performed by the facility. The primary standard for optical power measurements at NIST-Gaithersburg has been the High Accuracy Cryogenic Radiometer (HACR). Recently, an improved radiometer, the Primary Optical Watt Radiometer (POWR), has replaced the HACR as the primary standard. In this paper, we present the results of comparisons between the radiometric powers measured by the four ACRs presently maintained by the LBIR facility to that measured by the HACR and POWR. This was done by using a Si photodiode light-trapping detector as a secondary transfer standard to compare the primary national standards to the ACRs maintained by the LBIR facility. The technique used to compare an ACR to the trap detector is described in detail. The absolute optical power measurements are found to be within 0.1 % of the primary standard for all the ACRs examined in this study.     

Intramural Comparison of NIST Laser and Optical Fiber Power Calibrations

The responsivity of two optical detectors was determined by the method of direct substitution in four different NIST measurement facilities. The measurements were intended to demonstrate the determination of absolute responsivity as provided by NIST calibration services at laser and optical-communication wavelengths; nominally 633 nm, 850 nm, 1060 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm. The optical detectors have been designated as checks standards for the purpose of routine intramural comparison of our calibration services and to meet requirements of the NIST quality system, based on ISO 17025. The check standards are two optical-trap detectors, one based on silicon and the other on indium gallium arsenide photodiodes. The four measurement services are based on: (1) the laser optimized cryogenic radiometer (LOCR) and free field collimated laser light; (2) the C-series isoperibol calorimeter and free-field collimated laser light; (3) the electrically calibrated pyroelectric radiometer and fiber-coupled laser light; (4) the pyroelectric wedge trap detector, which measures light from a lamp source and monochromator. The results indicate that the responsivity of the check standards, as determined independently using the four services, agree to within the published expanded uncertainty ranging from approximately 0.02 % to 1.24 %.     

Realization of a scale of absolute spectral response using the National Institute of Standards and Technology high-accuracy cryogenic radiometer

Using the National Institute of Standards and Technology high-accuracy cryogenic radiometer (HACR), we have realized a scale of absolute spectral response between 406 and 920 nm. The HACR, an electrical-substitution radiometer operating at cryogenic temperatures, achieves a combined relative standard uncertainty of 0.021%. Silicon photodiode light-trapping detectors were calibrated against the HACR with a typical relative standard uncertainty of 0.03% at nine laser wavelengths between 406 and 920 nm. Modeling of the quantum efficiency of these detectors yields their responsivity throughout this range with comparable accuracy.     

面向定量化红外遥感的热电堆探测器定标技术

从红外遥感信息定量化的发展要求出发,分析了测辐射热计、热电堆探测器和热释电探测器的响应特性,选择薄膜热电堆探测器TS-76作为传递标准探测器.搭建高精度光谱响应率定标系统,使用宽波段可调谐激光器和绝对低温辐射计对TS-76探测器的线性、空间均匀性以及重复性进行了标定.按照国际通用不确定度评估规范,对光谱响应率测量结果进行不确定度分析和评估,联合不确定度小于1.5%,并根据实验结果提出实现高精度中远红外辐射定标的技术方案,证明基于热电堆探测器的红外辐射定标技术可以有效缩短标准传递的链路,提高定标的精度.     

The NIST High Accuracy Scale for Absolute Spectral Response from 406 nm to 920 nm

We describe how the National Institute of Standards and Technology obtains a scale of absolute spectral response from 406 nm to 920 nm. This scale of absolute spectral response is based solely on detector measurements traceable to the NIST High Accuracy Cryogenic Radiometer (HACR). Silicon photodiode light-trapping detectors are used to transfer optical power measurements from the HACR to a monochromator-based facility where routine measurements are performed. The transfer also involves modeling the quantum efficiency (QE) of the silicon photodiode light-trapping detectors. We describe our planned quality system for these measurements that follows ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994. A summary of current NIST capabilities based on these measurements is also given.     

Comparison of Two Cryogenic Radiometers at NIST

Two cryogenic radiometers from NIST, one from the Optical Technology Division and the other from the Optoelectronics Division, were compared at three visible laser wavelengths. For this comparison, each radiometer calibrated two photodiode trap detectors for spectral responsivity. The calibration values for the two trap detectors agreed within the expanded (k = 2) uncertainties. This paper describes the measurement and results of this comparison.     

基于低温辐射计的光探测器响应度基准

基于低温辐射计建立了一系列激光波长上光探测器响应度测量基准。进行了基准装置性能的研究,应用光辐射有效加热功率检验方法进行了不确定度评估。在氦氖、氩氪离子以及钛蓝宝石激光器的10个波长上测量了作为标准探测器的陷阱探测器的响应度。在氦氖、氩氪离子激光波长测量结果的不确定度达到0.8×10^-4,在钛蓝宝石激光器达到1.1×10^-4。对标准探测器的面响应均匀性、非线性、偏振响应、角度响应等特性对响应度测量结果的影响进行了研究。     

Nonlinearity Measurements of High-Power Laser Detectors at NIST

We briefly explain the fundamentals of detector nonlinearity applicable to both electrical and optical nonlinearity measurements. We specifically discuss the attenuation method for optical nonlinearity measurement that the NIST system is based upon, and we review the possible sources of nonlinearity inherent to thermal detectors used with high-power lasers. We also describe, in detail, the NIST nonlinearity measurement system, in which detector responsivity can be measured at wavelengths of 1.06 µm and 10.6 µm, over a power range from 1 W to 1000 W. We present the data processing method used and show measurement results depicting both positive and negative nonlinear behavior. The expanded uncertainty of a typical NIST high-power laser detector calibration including nonlinearity characterization is about 1.3 %.     

Infrared spectral responsivity scale realization and validations

An InSb working standard radiometer, first calibrated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1999 against a cryogenic bolometer, was recently calibrated against a newly developed low-noise-equivalent-power pyroelectric transfer standard detector. The pyroelectric transfer standard, which can operate at the output of a monochromator, holds the newly realized NIST spectral power responsivity scale between 1.7 and 14?μm with an uncertainty of 1% (k=2). The InSb working standard was also measured at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) of the United Kingdom in 1999. The less than 2% spectral power responsivity disagreements obtained on the InSb working standard (both from the 1999 NIST and NPL comparison and also against the pyroelectric standard) validate the three independently realized power responsivity scales and verify the long-term stability of the InSb working standard. The InSb working standard was also used in irradiance measurement mode to validate the previously determined spectral irradiance responsivity of four narrowband InSb radiometers that were applied to calibrate IR target simulators. The uncertainty of the present spectral irradiance responsivity scale held by the InSb working standard is 2.5% (k=2) in the 2 to 5.2?μm wavelength range.     

Improved Near-Infrared Spectral Responsivity Scale

A cryogenic radiometer-based system was constructed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology for absolute radiometric measurements to improve detector spectral power responsivity scales in the wavelength range from 900 nm to 1800 nm. In addition to the liquid-helium-cooled cryogenic radiometer, the system consists of a 100 W quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp light source and a 1 m single-grating monochromator for wavelength selection. The system was characterized and the uncertainty in spectral power responsivity measurements evaluated. A variety of photodetectors, including indium gallium arsenide photodiodes (InGaAs), germanium (Ge) photodiodes, and pyroelectric detectors, were subsequently calibrated. Over most of the spectral range, the spectral power responsivity of the photodetectors can be measured with a combined relative standard uncertainty of 0.4 % or less. This is more than a factor of two smaller than our previous capabilities, and represents a significant improvement in the near infrared (NIR) spectral power responsivity scale maintained at NIST. We discuss the characterization of the monochromator-based system and present results of photodetector spectral power responsivity calibrations.     

Absolute measurement of F2-laser power at 157 nm

We report a comparison of laser power measurements at the F2-laser wavelength of 157 nm made at two facilities of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German national metrology institute. At the PTB laboratory at the electron storage ring BESSY II in Berlin, the scale for laser power was directly traced to a cryogenic radiometer operating at 157 nm, whereas at the PTB laser radiometry facility in Braunschweig the calibration of transfer detectors was performed with a newly developed standard for laser power at 157 nm, which is traceable in several steps to a cryogenic radiometer operating at 633 nm. The comparison was performed under vacuum conditions with laser pulse energies of approximately 10 microJ, however with different average powers because different primary standard radiometers were used. The relative deviation for the responsivity of the transfer detector was 4.8% and thus within the combined standard uncertainty.     

New PTB Setup for the Absolute Calibration of the Spectral Responsivity of Radiation Thermometers

The paper describes the new experimental setup assembled at the PTB for the absolute spectral responsivity measurement of radiation thermometers. The concept of this setup is to measure the relative spectral responsivity of the radiation thermometer using the conventional monochromator-based spectral comparator facility also used for the calibration of filter radiometers. The absolute spectral responsivity is subsequently measured at one wavelength, supplied by the radiation of a diode laser, using the new setup. The radiation of the diode laser is guided with an optical fiber into an integrating sphere source that is equipped with an aperture of absolutely known area. The spectral radiance of this integrating sphere source is determined via the spectral irradiance measured by a trap detector with an absolutely calibrated spectral responsivity traceable to the primary detector standard of the PTB, the cryogenic radiometer. First results of the spectral responsivity calibration of the radiation thermometer LP3 are presented, and a provisional uncertainty budget of the absolute spectral responsivity is given.     

Traceable laser power measurements of diode laser radiation in the near infrared

We report a new calibration setup for laser radiometry at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, the German National Metrology Institute. Measurements of laser diode power of free beam diode lasers in the near infrared spectral range at a wavelength of 808 nm for powers up to 250 W and at wavelengths of 915 nm, 940 nm, and 980 nm for laser powers up to 25 W have been established. The calibration setup, the standard detector, the uncertainty budget and first calibration results will be presented and discussed. The standard uncertainty of the HLR302 standard detector is 0.2%. This uncertainty might be the main contribution to the overall uncertainty in customer calibrations, depending on the quality of the transfer detectors.     

Absolute linearity measurements on a gold-black-coated deuterated L-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate pyroelectric detector

The nonlinearity characteristics of a commercially available deuterated L-alanine-doped triglycine sulfate (DLATGS) pyroelectric detector were experimentally investigated at high levels of illumination using the National Physical Laboratory detector linearity characterization facility. The detector was shown to exhibit a superlinear response at high levels of illumination. Moreover, the linearity factor was shown to depend on the area of the spot on the detector active area being illuminated, i.e., the incident irradiance. Possible reasons for the observed behavior are proposed and discussed. The temperature coefficient of the response of the DLATGS pyroelectric detector was measured and found to be higher than +2.5% degrees C(-1). This large and positive temperature coefficient of response is the most likely cause of the superlinear behavior of the DLATGS pyroelectric detector.     

ACR II: improved absolute cryogenic radiometer for low background infrared calibrations

A second-generation absolute cryogenic radiometer (ACR II) was developed for use at the Low Background Infrared calibration facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The need for spectral calibrations of very sensitive [D* = 10(14) cm (Hz)1/2W(-1)] infrared detectors necessitated the use of a cryogenic infrared monochromator and a more sensitive radiometer. The improved low-power performance of the ACR II compared with the older absolute cryogenic radiometer (ACR) has also made it useful as the primary standard for the calibration of cryogenic blackbody sources that are used as low-power infrared sources. The responsivity of the new radiometer's receiver is 210 K/mW with a type A (random component) standard uncertainty of at most 7 pW when making power measurements of less than 10 nW. The original ACR has a responsivity of 29 K/mW and has a type A standard uncertainty of approximately 100 pW when making a similar low-noise-power measurement. Other properties of the radiometers are also described and compared.     

Ultraviolet radiometry with synchrotron radiation and cryogenic radiometry

The combination of a cryogenic radiometer and synchrotron radiation enables detector scale realization in spectral regions that are otherwise difficult to access. Cryogenic radiometry is the most accurate primary detector-based standard available to date, and synchrotron radiation gives a unique broadband and continuous spectrum that extends from x ray to far IR. We describe a new cryogenic radiometer-based UV radiometry facility at the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility II at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The facility is designed to perform a variety of detector and optical materials characterizations. The facility combines a high-throughput, normal incidence monochromator with an absolute cryogenic radiometer optimized for UV measurements to provide absolute radiometric measurements in the spectral range from 125 nm to approximately 320 nm. We discuss results on photodetector characterizations, including absolute spectroradiometric calibration, spatial responsivity mapping, spectroreflectance, and internal quantum efficiency. In addition, such characterizations are used to study UV radiation damage in photodetectors that can shed light on the mechanism of the damage process. Examples are also given for UV optical materials characterization.     

Radiometic Comparison Between a National Laboratory and an Industrial Laboratory

One of the disciplines that Fluke?CHart Scientific has is radiometric calibration. Part of this program involves use of a radiation thermometer with a pyroelectic detector. It is used as a radiometric transfer standard between a set of liquid-bath variable temperature blackbodies and a flat-plate infrared (IR) calibrator. The flat-plate calibrator is designed for use in the calibration of handheld IR thermometers. The traceability of the variable temperature blackbodies is realized by contact thermometry through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A verification of these blackbodies is a comparison between a calibration done by the Radiance Temperature Laboratory at NIST and the blackbodies at Fluke?CHart Scientific. This comparison uses a transfer radiation thermometer (TRT) as a check standard. It would be more desirable to use radiometric traceability as an indication of the blackbodies?? radiometric temperature. However, contact thermometry provides much better uncertainties. These uncertainties are needed for the radiometric transfer from the blackbodies to the flat-plate calibrators. Thus, the NIST radiometric calibration of the TRT is used for verification of normal equivalence. This article discusses Fluke?CHart Scientific??s blackbody traceability. It covers the Fluke?CHart Scientific and the NIST radiometric calibration procedures. It discusses the radiometric uncertainty budgets at both Fluke?CHart Scientific and at NIST. It then discusses the results of this comparison and analyzes the results. The comparison is in the temperature range of ?15 °C to 500 °C. It showed a normal equivalence of less than 1.00 at all points. The article concludes with a set of future actions to ensure quality in Fluke?CHart Scientific??s radiometric calibration program.     

Uncertainty Propagation for NIST Visible Spectral Standards

Uncertainties in the NIST spectral standards for detectors and sources in the visible wavelength range are propagated from the high accuracy cryogenic radiometer measurements, taking correlations into account at every stage. Partial correlations between spectral values at different wavelengths, important for subsequent radiometric calculations, are estimated. Uncertainty propagation through fitting and through transfer spectral measurements is described in detail. Detector uncertainties are propagated through the spectral comparator facility for external calibrations and for internal photometric quantities. Uncertainties in spectral irradiance are derived for the detector-based temperature determination, then propagated through working standards to calibrated artifacts. Spectral irradiance calibrations are generally provided at a limited number of wavelengths. Interpolation, rather than fitting, is recommended for the interpolation of NIST-provided spectral irradiance values.     

Improved Photometric Standards and Calibration Procedures at NIST

NIST has recently established a detector-based luminous intensity unit (candela, cd), which is derived from the NIST absolute cryogenic radiometer. Subsequently, the luminous flux unit (lumen, lm) and the luminance unit (cd/m²) have been established based on the detector-based candela, and now all the NIST photometric units are tied to the cryogenic radiometer. The illuminance unit is realized and maintained on five standard photometers. The large dynamic range of the standard photometers eliminates the need for maintaining many working standard lamps of various wattages. The luminous intensities of lamps are determined from the illuminances measured with these photometers and the distances measured with a linear encoder system. Transfer photometers and illuminance meters are calibrated by direct comparison with the standard photometers with no distance measurements involved. The luminous flux unit is realized using an absolute integrating sphere method newly developed at NIST. The luminance unit is realized on an integrating sphere source, which is used for calibration of other luminance sources and luminance meters. These detector-based methods have made it possible to reduce the uncertainties of photometric calibrations and to provide more varieties of photometric calibration services at NIST.