Measurement of the absolute spectral responsivity in the mid-infrared based on the cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer and an optimized thermopile detector

Abstract

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) expanded its capabilities of the absolute measurement of radiant power to the spectral range of the mid-infrared (MIR) by implementing additional MIR laser radiation sources at one of the PTB's cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer facilities. This extension enables absolute calibrations of the spectral responsivity of detectors in the MIR traceable to the International System of Units (SI). The thermopile detector TS-76 was characterized and calibrated in view of its spectral responsivity s(λ) in the wavelength range between 1.5 and 10.6 μm at the expanded cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer facility. The relative standard measurement uncertainty was significantly reduced to 1.4 % by developing an optimized and thermally stabilized detector housing design. The TS-76 was established as a mid-infrared transfer detector for the SI traceable measurement of radiant power and the dissemination of the spectral responsivity s(λ) in the MIR.