Minimizing the total error of a radiometer

A method of minimizing the total error of a radiometer is described. The me thod involves determination of the optimum relations between the activity o f the radiation source, the load on the detector, and the parameters of the specimen. For the first tints in metrological practice, an error is introd uced to account for the distortion caused by the change in the calibration curve of the radiometer due to an increase in the load on the detector and a change in the parameter being measured. It is shown that this error is a systematic error and that its minimum is obtained when the load on the dete ctor is optimal. The value of the minimum depends on the form of the calibr ation curve. The radiometer is optimized with respect to the minimum of the total error, which is equal to the sum of the distortion error, the statis tical error, and rite conversion error.