Improved radiometric standards lead to high-accuracy measurements. (News Briefs).

Improvements in detector-based technology over the past decade have opened a new era in the field of metrology for radiometry and photometry photometry (fōtŏm`ətrē), branch of physics dealing with the measurement of the intensity of a source of light, such as an electric lamp, and with the intensity of light such a source may cast on a surface area. . NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology, Washington, DC, www.nist.gov) The standards-defining agency of the U.S. government, formerly the National Bureau of Standards. It is one of three agencies that fall under the Technology Administration (www.technology. Technical Note TN-1438 was published to summarize the results of the research and development work carried out by NIST on constructing accurate and wide-dynamic-range radiometers with high-performance detectors for use in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelength regions. Entitled Optical Radiation Measurement With Selected Detectors and Matched Electronic Circuits Between 200 nm and 20 [micro]m, TN-1438 is a compilation of 11 articles and research papers published by a NIST scientist.

Improved radiometer radiometer (rā'dēŏm`ətər), instrument for detection or measurement of electromagnetic radiation; the term is applied in particular to devices used to measure infrared radiation. standards are the key components for several recently realized high-accuracy scales. Using the new radiometers, improved scales have been realized for a variety of important radiometric and photometric pho·tom·e·try
n.
Measurement of the properties of light, especially luminous intensity.

photo·met measurements, for example, spectral power, irradiance ir·ra·di·ant
adj.
Sending forth radiant light.

[Latin irradi , and radiance responsivity. The improved scales are then transferred to standards used by our customers. The result is lower measurement uncertainty for NIST-traceable optical radiation standards.

CONTACT: George Eppeldauer, (301) 975-2338; george.eppeldauer@nist.gov.

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Publication:	Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Article Type:	Brief Article
Geographic Code:	1USA
Date:	Jan 1, 2002
Words:	165
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Topics:	Measurement units and standards Innovations Photometry Research Radiation Measurement Radiation measurement Weights and measures Innovations

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