integrating sphere

Ulbricht sphere

hollow sphere, the interior of which is formed from, or coated with, a diffusely-reflecting material that is as spectrally neutral and as spatially uniform as possible

Note 1 to entry: Owing to the internal reflections within the sphere, the illuminance on any part of the inside surface of the sphere for which the direct flux is hidden is theoretically proportional to the luminous flux entering the sphere or produced inside the sphere. The illuminance of the internal sphere wall can be measured via a small window.

Note 2 to entry: The window of an integrating sphere is often used in radiometric measurement systems to provide a source with good spatial uniformity and with an angular distribution of radiance or luminance that is close to Lambert's cosine law.

Note 3 to entry: This entry was numbered 845-05-24 in IEC 60050-845:1987.

Note 4 to entry: This entry was numbered 17-591 and 17-1358 in CIE S 017:2011.