The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a specialized facility for calibrating optical apertures used in radiometric instruments. The Optical Aperture Area and Coordinate Measurement Facility (AAM) uses a planar coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with laser interferometers to measure apertures with SI unit precision.
The facility consists of a granite structure with air bearings and a vertical linear stage microscope. It can measure aperture areas up to 50 mm in diameter and calibrate grid standards within its 100 mm x 100 mm workspace. The AAM uses transmitted and reflected light modes to characterize optical distortion and determine image pixel positions relative to the stage coordinate system.
This facility will help ensure accurate measurements of optical apertures in radiometric instruments, supporting the development and calibration of quantum technologies that rely on precise optical measurements.
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