Based on new calibration technique of photon correlation, a prototype of self-calibration radiation reference source (SRRS) is designed. This prototype combines the self-calibration and observation target function. The precision of observation for target can be guaranteed by accurate measurement of detection efficiency in observation channel. A two-channel self-calibration spectral radiation prototype is established, and the photoelectric detection efficiency of observation channel is measured through the principle of correlated photon calibration. The measurement uncertainty of 0.35% for detection efficiency is obtained. SRRS can realize self-calibration for photoelectric detection efficiency of observation channel. Transmittance changes of any optical element in the observation channel don′t affect the measurement accuracy of radiance of the objectives. An attenuator is inserted into the observation channel to simulate the sight path photoelectric detection efficiency changes, so as to verify the sensitivity of calibration spectra from the radiation source on the decay of the observation channel. By measuring the photo count or coincidence count before and after inserting the photon attenuation, the actual transmittance of 20.12% of the attenuator is calculated, and it is in accordance with the change rate (20.11%) of the photoelectric detection efficiency for observation channel before and after inserting the attenuator. The relative deviation between the two is less than 0.049%. Experimental results show that the radiation spectrum from the self-calibration mechanism can accurately monitor the decay of observation channel photoelectric detection efficiency. Rationality and feasibility of the SRRS design are preliminarily verified, which provides the technical basis for subsequent multi-channel self-calibration spectral radiation prototype development and calibration of radiation.