What is a Broadband Radiometer?
First lets define a Radiometer as an instrument that measures the intensity of electro-magnetic energy sources in terms of radiometric units like Watts, Watts/cm2, Watts/st, etc. These measurements might be made in a narrow spectral region …with Radiometers that use photodiodes for instance. The types of Radiometers are usually referred to as Optical Power Meters. Now …what makes a “Broadband Radiometer” different? Broadband refers to the ability to measure over a broad spectrum of wavelengths…i.e. including Vacuum UV, Visible, Near IR, Black Body spectrum Far IR, Extreme IR and THz range. This typically dictates the use of a “thermal” detector …like the Pyroelectric Detector. This type of sensor produces a measureable current when electro magnetic radiation at any frequency is absorbed by the sensor. In some cases these detectors are coated with a “black absorbing” material that enhances their absorption over the broad spectrum. A Broadband Radiometer will include a Pyroelectr
