Utilization of vacuum fluctuations as an optical brightness standard

A proposal is made to use the relationship between the spontaneous and stimulated multiphoton transitions in determination of the spectra] brightness B and the effective temperature of noncoherent light. It is shown that the signal/noise ratio M of a parametric amplifier and frequency converter operating under constant pumping conditions is equal to B expressed in units of hc²/λ⁵ ≡ B_vac, i.e., to the number n of photons per mode in the converted radiation (this number is known as the degeneracy factor). The strong frequency and angular selectivity of the coherent frequency subtraction ensures a high resolution of the proposed "photon counter". Since the relationship M = n is independent of the rate of pumping, conversion efficiency, etc., such a counter may be considered as a new type of spectral brightness and radiation temperature standard. Another possible metrological application of the parametric amplifier noise arises from the simultaneity and close coupling of the directions of emission of the idler and signal photons. This feature may be used in a source emitting a known number of photons with known momenta and directions of emission; in particular, this approach should make it possible to determine the absolute quantum efficiency of a photomultiplier.