Evaluation of a Self-Calibrating Silicon Bolometer

Abstract : A blackbody radiation source was used to evaluate a self-calibrating, phosphorous-doped silicon bolometer, with the objective of establishing an NBS- traceable calibration of the bolometer. The experimental results are inconclusive, since the response of the bolometer to its integral thin-film heater power was found to be linear and the response to the NBS-calibrated blackbody power was not linear. This discrepancy suggests the possible existence of a blackbody design problem. The problem should be resolved by repeating the calibration using another NBS-calibrated infrared source.