Estimation of uncertainties for accelerometer calibration using laser interferometry

In practice, traceability leads to improve the accuracy and agreement among the results obtained using different means of measurement. However, in every calibration within the traceability chain there is a certain increment of the uncertainty of measurement. The uncertainty of measurement gives an idea of the length of the traceability chain and the accuracy of the methods used to calibrate the measurement standard. The case when the linear acceleration quantity is measured using a laser interferometer, traceability to length through the calibration of the laser in wavelength, and time and frequency through the calibration of a sine generator and a frequency counter, is discussed. It highlights that an important portion of type B uncertainty related with these reference standards depends on two factors, their traceability chain to basic standards of length and frequency, and the measurement accuracy achieved within the traceability chain.