FY07 Final Report for Calibration Systems
Remote infrared (IR) sensing provides a valuable method for detection and identification of materials associated with nuclear proliferation. Current challenges for remote sensors include minimizing the size, mass, and power requirements for cheaper, smaller, and more deployable instruments without affecting the measurement performance. One area that is often overlooked is sensor calibration design that is optimized to minimize the cost, size, weight, and power of the payload. Yet, an on-board calibration system is essential to account for changes in the detector response once the instrument has been removed from the laboratory. The Calibration Systems project at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is aimed towards developing and demonstrating compact quantum cascade (QC) laser-based calibration systems for infrared sensor systems in order to provide both a spectral and radiometric calibration while minimizing the impact on the instrument payload. In FY05, PNNL demonstrated a multi-level radiance scheme that provides six radiance levels for an enhanced linearity check compared to the currently accepted two-point scheme. PNNL began testing the repeatability of this scheme using a cryogenically cooled, single-mode quantum cascade laser (QCL). A cyclic variation in the power was observed that was attributed to the thermal cycling of the laser's dewar. In FY06, PNNL continued testing this scheme and installed an auxiliary liquid nitrogen reservoir to limit the thermal cycling effects. Although better repeatability was achieved over a longer time period, power fluctuations were still observed due to the thermal cycling. Due to the limitations with the cryogenic system, PNNL began testing Fabry-Perot QCLs that operate continuous-wave (cw) or quasi-cw at room temperature (RT) in FY06. PNNL demonstrated a multi-level scheme that provides five radiance levels in 105 seconds with excellent repeatability. We have continued testing this repeatability in FY07. A burn-in effect appears in which the power increases over a certain time period. Repeatability better than 1%, however, is demonstrated for most of the radiance levels after this initial burn-in. In FY06, PNNL also began investigating a fiber-coupled RT QCL for a compact IR calibration source. PNNL demonstrated a uniform beam profile by measuring a time-averaged response and modulating the fiber optic with a motor to minimize the effects of speckle. In FY07, PNNL examined the power stability of fiber-coupled QCLs. Feedback appears to degrade the stability so that anti-reflective coatings for fibers may be essential. In FY07, PNNL continued to investigate the stability of room temperature QCLs as well as the measurement technique to provide a quantitative estimate for the measurement uncertainty. We designed and built a custom environmental enclosure to reduce the measurement uncertainty. After an initial burn-in, we have achieved uncertainties better than 0.1% for data collected over almost 100 hours of operation. We also built a bench-top system to demonstrate how the QC laser can be used to calibrate a microbolometer array and illustrated the importance of a multi-point calibration.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1035012
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-17254; NN2001000; TRN: US1201121
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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