Abstract
The Low Background Infrared (LBIR) Facility at NIST is nearing completion of the User Transfer Radiometer (UXR), a cryocooled vacuum infrared radiometer with imaging capability. We will describe design and testing of the UXR, as well as development of the 30 Centimeter Collimator (30CC), a new large area collimated source custom-designed for calibration of the UXR. Compared to our current transfer radiometer (MDXR), key enhancements have been incorporated into the UXR based on lessons learned and requests from calibration customers. These improvements include ~10x better sensitivity, imaging capability using an infrared focal plane array (FPA), pulse tube cryo-cooling to replace liquid helium, and a modular design that enables customization of the instrument based on customer needs.
The UXR will be used to calibrate infrared spectral output (irradiance or radiance) from cryo-vacuum space chambers, typically operated for missile defense or space programs. Essentially an “infrared laboratory on wheels,” the UXR can travel to customer locations to calibrate their systems and currently contains on-board blackbody sources, Si:As blocked impurity band (BIB) reference detectors, an absolute cryogenic radiometer (ACR), an infrared FPA, and filter wheels containing spectral filters, neutral density filters, and polarizers. Development of the UXR has followed a multi-step plan: Phase 1 includes the filter radiometer capability, Phase 2 enables imaging with implementation of the FPA, and Phase 3 adds the cryogenic Fourier-transform spectrometer (CFTS) for high resolution spectral irradiance, radiance and imaging capability. Phase 1 and Phase 2 construction are now complete, with completion of Phase 3 expected next year.
Development and Testing of a New Imaging Transfer Radiometer at NIST
The Low Background Infrared (LBIR) Facility at NIST is nearing completion of the User Transfer Radiometer (UXR), a cryocooled vacuum infrared radiometer with imaging capability. We will describe design and testing of the UXR, as well as development of the 30 Centimeter Collimator (30CC), a new large area collimated source custom-designed for calibration of the UXR. Compared to our current transfer radiometer (MDXR), key enhancements have been incorporated into the UXR based on lessons learned and requests from calibration customers. These improvements include ~10x better sensitivity, imaging capability using an infrared focal plane array (FPA), pulse tube cryo-cooling to replace liquid helium, and a modular design that enables customization of the instrument based on customer needs.
The UXR will be used to calibrate infrared spectral output (irradiance or radiance) from cryo-vacuum space chambers, typically operated for missile defense or space programs. Essentially an “infrared laboratory on wheels,” the UXR can travel to customer locations to calibrate their systems and currently contains on-board blackbody sources, Si:As blocked impurity band (BIB) reference detectors, an absolute cryogenic radiometer (ACR), an infrared FPA, and filter wheels containing spectral filters, neutral density filters, and polarizers. Development of the UXR has followed a multi-step plan: Phase 1 includes the filter radiometer capability, Phase 2 enables imaging with implementation of the FPA, and Phase 3 adds the cryogenic Fourier-transform spectrometer (CFTS) for high resolution spectral irradiance, radiance and imaging capability. Phase 1 and Phase 2 construction are now complete, with completion of Phase 3 expected next year.