Device for pyrometric temperature measurement

A device for the pyrometric measurement of the temperature of a radiating body, said device comprising:

• (a) a spectral filter having a transmissivity that begins at about .lambda.=1 .mu.m and then rapidly rises and remains almost constant up to a wavelength of .lambda..gtoreq.8 .mu.m;
• (b) radiation receptor means, for receiving radiation passing through said spectral filter, for generating the temperature dependent signal based on the radiation received by said radiation receptor means, wherein said radiation receptor means comprises a pyroelectric detector having a spectral sensitivity from at least about .lambda.=1 .mu.m to .lambda..gtoreq.8 .mu.m;
• (c) amplification means for receiving the temperature dependent signal generated by said radiation receptor means, said amplification means comprising a plurality of amplification stages, the output of each amplification stage being independently selectable;
• and
• (d) control means, coupled to said amplifier means, for selecting the output signal generated by one of said amplification stages and determining the temperature of said radiating body based on said selected signal.