NIST Measurement Services That Support Optoelectronics

Published

July 1, 2002

Author(s)

Sally S. Bruce, Christopher L. Cromer

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) offers a variety of hundreds of measurement services to its customers as a part of it's core mission. These services include reference data, reference materials, and physical measurements and calibrationsNIST's work includes:maintaining primary standards,developing new and improved measurement methods,assisting industry, as a neutral party, to standardize on appropriate measurement methods,calibrating measurement devices and instruments, andproviding reference materials, artifact standards, so that others may calibrate their own instruments.Optoelectronics combines optics and electronics and the applications of this industry impact our daily lives. The fields of computing, communication, entertainment, education, health care and transportation rely on this technology. Miltitary applications include imaging, sensors, communication, and command and control. Components of lasers, image sensors, optical fibers, and optical storage discs represent the enabling portion of the $1.5 Trillion global information industry. In the United States, we export an estimated $27B of telecommunications components and equipment annually. Measurement science plays an important role in characterizing and verifying the performance of the equipment and materials currently available, itadvances the performance of the next generation equipment and systems, and it facilitates the commerce of telecom products.In the area of optoelectronic metrology, NIST has been developing measurement technology for laser power for nearly 40 years. Since the 1970s, NIST has been developing measurement technology for optical fiber communications and assisting with the development of measurement standards. NIST has Standard Reference Materials for integrated optic components, optical data storage, and semiconductor lasers and LED's under development. Recently, researchers at NIST have been characterizing color and other electroluminescent properties of LED's and have made some measurement services available for Led's. Historically, NIST has provided radiometric calibrations. Part of the suite of radiometric measurements that NIST provides includes photometry and detector responsivity, both of which support the optoelectronics industry.This paper will provide an overview of the suite of optics-based measurement services that NIST currently offers to support ehe optoelectronics community. The Electronics and Phontonics Technology funding through the NIST Advanced Technology Program will be briefly discussed. The emphasis, however, will be on the measurement services provided through the Physics Laboratory's Optical Technology Division and the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory's Optoelectronics Division.

Citation

National Conference of Standards Laboratories International

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

calibration, measurement services, optoelectronics, radiometry

Citation

Bruce, S. and Cromer, C. (2002), NIST Measurement Services That Support Optoelectronics, National Conference of Standards Laboratories International (Accessed April 26, 2024)