Noncontact Thermometry in the Optical Technology Division at NIST

Published

March 1, 2001

Author(s)

Charles E. Gibson, Howard W. Yoon, Benjamin K. Tsai, Bettye C. Johnson, Robert D. Saunders

Abstract

The Optical Technology Division (OTD) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) maintains the thermodynamic temperature scale above the silver freezing point using spectral radiance ratios according to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). Radiance temperature calibration services are performed in the OTD, and NIST's calibration services support industry, government agencies, national standards laboratories, pyrometer and blackbody manufacturers, universities, and U.S. military service calibration laboratories. In addition, the OTD also offers a four day Short Course on Temperature Measurement by Radiation Thermometry every year that extensively covers many aspects of radiation thermometry. Routine intercomparisons of the thermodynamic temperature scale are done with other national measurement laboratories for international verification of the accuracy of the issued calibrations. We describe research into alternatives to the ITS-90?the use of absolute detector standards to directly measure the temperature of a high temperature blackbody.

Proceedings Title

Thermosense, Conference | 23rd | Thermosense XXIII | SPIE

Volume

4360

Conference Dates

April 16-20, 2001

Conference Title

Proceedings of SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

blackbody, calibration, ItS-90, non-contact thermometry, radiation thermometer

Citation

Gibson, C. , Yoon, H. , Tsai, B. , Johnson, B. and Saunders, R. (2001), Noncontact Thermometry in the Optical Technology Division at NIST, Thermosense, Conference | 23rd | Thermosense XXIII | SPIE (Accessed October 14, 2025)