Abstract
Evolving remote sensing missions present a growing need for satellite sensors with significantly enhanced measurement accuracies beyond current capabilities. For example, the on-board calibration needed for very precise (e.g.,
At Ball, our approach to enhance remote sensing missions beyond current capabilities is to leverage the unique optical properties of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) to develop advanced coatings that overcome the limitations of conventional BB coatings. We have developed “Flat-Plate, Extreme-ε (0.999), BB Calibrator” based on a Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT) coating grown on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. Key BB elements, such as the extreme-ε VACNT, have been verified for Ball by NIST to be ≈0.999. Extreme-ε provides a significantly reduced BB radiance uncertainty by minimizing the radiance error due to the radiation reflected from the BB’s background environment. Additionally, the flat-plate simplifies instrument design, is optimal for on-board calibration due to its low SWaP, and it eliminates the fabrication and coating difficulties associated with the complex geometry of conventional BBs. This paper summarizes the results of our design, analysis and characterization.
Carbon Nanotube Flat Plate Blackbody Calibrator
Evolving remote sensing missions present a growing need for satellite sensors with significantly enhanced measurement accuracies beyond current capabilities. For example, the on-board calibration needed for very precise (e.g.,
At Ball, our approach to enhance remote sensing missions beyond current capabilities is to leverage the unique optical properties of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) to develop advanced coatings that overcome the limitations of conventional BB coatings. We have developed “Flat-Plate, Extreme-ε (0.999), BB Calibrator” based on a Vertically Aligned CNT (VACNT) coating grown on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. Key BB elements, such as the extreme-ε VACNT, have been verified for Ball by NIST to be ≈0.999. Extreme-ε provides a significantly reduced BB radiance uncertainty by minimizing the radiance error due to the radiation reflected from the BB’s background environment. Additionally, the flat-plate simplifies instrument design, is optimal for on-board calibration due to its low SWaP, and it eliminates the fabrication and coating difficulties associated with the complex geometry of conventional BBs. This paper summarizes the results of our design, analysis and characterization.