Spectral Response Based Calibration Method of Tristimulus Colorimeters

A new method is described to calibrate tristimulus colorimeters for high accuracy color measurements. Instead of traditional lamp standards, modern, high accuracy detector standards are suggested for calibration. After high accuracy absolute spectral response determination of the tristimulus receivers, color (spectral) correction and peak (amplitude) normalization can minimize uncertainties caused by imperfect realizations of the Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage (CIE) color matching functions. As a result of the corrections, stable light sources of different spectral power distributions can be measured with an accuracy dominated by the sub tenths of a percent uncertainty of novel spectral response determinations.