Meta-study of laser power calibrations ranging 20 orders of magnitude with traceability to the kilogram

TL;DR

This paper reviews NIST's laser power calibration methods covering 20 orders of magnitude, emphasizing traceability to the kilogram and internal verification practices for accuracy across a wide power range.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive meta-study of laser power calibration techniques spanning 20 orders of magnitude with traceability to the kilogram.

Findings

Calibration range covers 20 orders of magnitude

Internal comparisons ensure measurement accuracy

Traceability to the kilogram is maintained

Abstract

Laser power metrology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ranges 20 orders of magnitude from photon-counting (1000 photons/s) to 100 kW (10^23 photons/s at a wavelength of 1070 nm). As a part of routine practices, we perform internal (unpublished) comparisons between our various power meters to verify correct operation.