Thermodynamic Radiation Thermometry for the Next SI

Abstract

The construction, the calibration, and the use of the NIST Thermodynamic Radiation Thermometer (TRT) to measure the temperature of the gold freezing temperature blackbody and a variable-temperature blackbody from 800 to 2,700°C are described. These temperature determinations are detector-based and derived from the electrical substitution radiometer and length units. The TRT is constructed using a cooled, near-infrared enhanced silicon detector with a room-temperature-stabilized five-position filter wheel. The characteristics of the TRT, such as the size-of-source effect and preamplifier linearity, are determined. The measured temperatures are compared with those obtained using the NIST Absolute Pyrometer 1 (AP1) and the current NIST standard radiation thermometer, the Photoelectric Pyrometer (PEP). After the performance assessments, the TRT will become the standard radiation thermometer for disseminating radiance temperature scales in the United States.