Steven F Cook

Title: Steven F. Cook: Inventor in Thermal Radiometry

Introduction

Steven F. Cook is an inventor associated with Raytheon Company in Tucson, Arizona. His patent work addresses the accurate characterization of spectral emissivity, a property that describes how effectively a material emits thermal radiation.

Latest Patents

Cook is named on 1 patent: “Characterization of Spectral Emissivity via Thermal Conductive Heating and In-Situ Radiance Measurement Using a Low-E Mirror.” The invention describes measuring the radiance of a sample in a low-temperature ambient environment to characterize the emissivity of transmissive, low-emissivity materials.

In the method, the sample is heated by thermal conduction in an open environment, limiting the increase in background radiance. A low-emissivity mirror is positioned behind the sample, with both arranged to fill the radiometer’s field of view. The mirror provides a low-emission background and reflects radiation from the back of the sample, approximately doubling the measured signal. The patent specifies mirror reflectance of at least 90%, preferably above 98%, and emissivity of no more than 7.5%, preferably below 2%, across the relevant spectral and temperature ranges.

Career Highlights

Cook’s documented patent contribution focuses on improving the signal quality and accuracy of thermal-radiation measurements. The disclosed approach combines conductive sample heating with a reflective, low-emissivity background to support in-situ characterization.

Collaborations

Cook’s listed coworkers include Justan V. Forsyth and Colton L. Noble. The available information identifies these professional associations but does not specify their roles in the patent.

Conclusion

Steven F. Cook’s patent describes a measurement technique that uses conductive heating and a low-emissivity mirror to improve the characterization of spectral emissivity.