A pyroelectric detector-based method for low uncertainty spectral irradiance and radiance responsivity calibrations in the infrared using tunable lasers

Published

April 4, 2022

Author(s)

Brian Alberding, John Woodward, Ping-Shine Shaw, Leonard Hanssen, Catherine Cooksey, Joseph P. Rice

Abstract

The standard uncertainty of detector-based radiance and irradiance responsivity calibrations in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) traditionally has been limited to around 1 % or higher by the low spatial uniformity of detectors used to transfer the scale from radiant power. Pyroelectric detectors offer a solution that avoids the spatial uniformity uncertainty, but also introduces additional complications due to alternating current (AC) measurement techniques. Herein, a new method for low uncertainty irradiance responsivity calibrations in the SWIR is presented. An absolute irradiance responsivity scale was placed on two pyroelectric detectors from 500 nm to 3400 nm. The total combined uncertainty (k=1) was 0.28 % (> 1000 nm), 0.44 % (900 nm), and 0.36 % ( 950 nm and < 900 nm) for PED #1 and 0.34 % (> 1000 nm), 0.48 % (900 nm), and 0.42 % ( 950 nm and < 900 nm for PED #2). This was done by utilizing a demodulation technique to digitally analyze the time-dependent, AC, waveforms, which obviates the use of lock-in amplifiers and avoids associated additional uncertainty components.

Citation

Applied Optics

Volume

61

Issue

11

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.455412

Local Download

Keywords

irradiance responsivity, radiometry, calibration, short-wave infrared, pyroelectric detector

Citation

Alberding, B. , Woodward, J. , Shaw, P. , Hanssen, L. , Cooksey, C. and Rice, J. (2022), A pyroelectric detector-based method for low uncertainty spectral irradiance and radiance responsivity calibrations in the infrared using tunable lasers, Applied Optics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.455412, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=933527 (Accessed October 10, 2025)