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Metrological services laboratories

The laboratories of the Quantum Optics and Photometry sector guarantee the following metrological services:

Photometry

  • Luminous intensity and Illuminance - INRiM performs luminous intensity calibrations of tungsten lamps from 1 cd up to 4000 cd and Illuminance meter (luxmeter) calibration in the range from 5 lx to 5000 lx. Measurements are performed in a 4 m optical bench facility with a set of reference photometers and standard lamps.
  • Luminance and Luminance meter - INRiM performs luminance sources (integrating sphere) and luminance meter calibration in the range from 1 cd/m2 up to 1000 cd/m2.

Radiometry

  • Laser power meters - Calibration of laser power meter is performed at the wavelength of 633 nm, using He-Ne power-stabilised laser source, or at few other Ar-Kr laser wavelengths against a reference transfer detector at typical power of 100 μW.
  • Detector responsivity - This facility establishes the response of a customer photodetector across a range of wavelengths, from UV to NIR by comparison to a transfer standard detector (Si trap, pyroelectric detector). This facility uses a source a double subtractive monochromator to select a narrow band of a few nanometres, from the continuum between 300 nm and 1,6 µm of a tungsten lamp or plasma light.

Optical characterization of materials

  • Transmittance - INRiM performs regular transmittance calibrations from 300 nm to 2000 nm. Measurement can be performed in solid samples mounted cuvette holders and in square glass 50 mm x 50 mm.
  • Reflectance - INRiM performs regular and diffuse reflectance measurements with a commercial scanning spectrophotometer. Measurements can be made over the wavelength range 300 nm to 2000 nm. Specular gloss measurement are performed at three standard geometries corresponding to illumination angles of 20°, 60° and 85° using a commercial gloss-meter against a calibrated reference tile. The uncertainty of specular gloss measurements depends to a considerable extent on the chemical and mechanical durability of the tiles surface.

Measurements for the characterization of single photon detectors for quantum communication

  • Two laboratories are under construction for the characterization of single photon detectors. One for single photon detectors for free-space in the visible/near infrared (e.g. detectors based on Si-SPAD sensors) and one for single photon detectors coupled with single mode optical fiber (e.g. detectors based on InGa/As-SPAD). The quantities of interest are quantum detection efficiency, dark counts, etc. The laboratories are expected to be operational and able to provide test reports from the second half of 2024.