title: Calibration of the pressure sensitivity of microphones by a free-field method at frequencies up to 80 khz.
abstract: A free-field (FF) substitution method for calibrating the pressure sensitivity of microphones at frequencies up to 80 kHz is demonstrated with both grazing and normal-incidence geometries. The substitution-based method, as opposed to a simultaneous method, avoids problems associated with the nonuniformity of the sound field and, as applied here, uses a 1/4-in. air-condenser pressure microphone as a known reference. Best results were obtained with a centrifugal fan, which is used as a random, broadband sound source. A broadband source minimizes reflection-related interferences that can plague FF measurements. Calibrations were performed on 1/4-in. FF air-condenser, electret, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones in an anechoic chamber. The uncertainty of this FF method is estimated by comparing the pressure sensitivity of an air-condenser FF microphone, as derived from the FF measurement, with that of an electrostatic actuator calibration. The root-mean-square difference is found to be +/- 0.3 dB over the range 1-80 kHz, and the combined standard uncertainty of the FF method, including other significant contributions, is +/- 0.41 dB.
authors.affiliation: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, USA.
authors.forename: Allan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zuckerwar
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Elbing