The National Bureau of Standards is a principal focal point in the Federal Government for assuring maximum application of the physical and engineering sciences to the advancement of technology in industry and commerce. Its responsibilities include development and maintenance of the national standards of measurement, and the provisions of means for making measurements consistent with those standards; determination of physical constants and properties of materials; development of methods for testing materials, mechanisms, and structures, and making such tests as may be necessary, particularly for government agencies ; cooperation in the establishment of standard practices for incorporation in codes and specifications; advisory service to government agencies on scientific and technical problems; invention and development of devices to serve special needs of the Government; assistance to industry, business, and consumers in the development and acceptance of commercial btandards and airr.plified trede practice recommendations ; administration of programs in cooperation with United States business groups and standards organizations for the deveiopment of international standards of practice; and maintenance of a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of scientific, technical, and engineering information.
ABSIXACTThe s p a t i a l and angular s e n s i t i v i t y of infrared detectors r e c e n t l y has been i n v e s t igated (1, 2). infrared, i t i s necessary t o d i s t r i b u t e the f l u x as uniformly as possible over the e n t i r e s e n s i t i v e area of t h e detector. several averaging devices developed a t the National Bureau of Standards. investigated are roughened N a C l Windows, d i f f u s i n g l i g h t ducts, and spheres With d i f f e r e n t coatings. Each device was subjected t o a s e r i e s of t e s t s t o e s t a b l i s h i t s averaging capab i l i t y and useful wavelength range. Results of these t e s t s indicate t h a t t h e use of a small sulfur-coated hollow sphere over the d e t e c t o r increased the accuracy of most types of infrared reflectance measurements and, a t the same time, decreased the requirement f o r precise o p t i c a l alignment of the d e t e c t o r i n the wavelength range of 1.5 t o 8 microns.the sulfur-coated sphere over a thermopile extends t h e usefulness of t h e multipl'e-reflection t i a l Sensitivity, Angular Sensitivity, Sulfur, and Integrating Sphere).