Integrating sphere

An integrating sphere (also known as an Ulbricht sphere) is an

optical component consisting of a hollow spherical cavity with its
interior covered with a diffuse white reflective coating, with small
holes for entrance and exit ports. Its relevant property is a uniform
scattering or diffusing effect. Light rays incident on any point on the
inner surface are, by multiple scattering reflections, distributed
equally to all other points. The effects of the original direction of
light are minimized. An integrating sphere may be thought of as a
diffuser which preserves power but destroys spatial information. It is
typically used with some light source and a detector for optical
power measurement. A similar device is the focusing or Coblentz
sphere, which differs in that it has a mirror-like (specular) inner
surface rather than a diffuse inner surface.

Even small commercial integrating spheres cost many thousands of

dollars, as a result their use is often limited to industry and large
academic institutions. However, 3D printing and homemade coatings
have seen the production of experimentally accurate DIY spheres for
very low cost.[1] Large integrating sphere for
measurement on light bulbs and
The practical implementation of the integrating sphere was due to small lamps
work by R. Ulbricht (1849–1923), published in 1900.[2] It has
become a standard instrument in photometry and radiometry. It has
the advantage over a goniophotometer for measuring the light produced by a source that total power can be
obtained in a single measurement.

The theory of a light-collecting cubical box was described by W. E. Sumpner in 1910.[3]

Contents
Theory
Applications
Materials
Structure
See also
References

Theory
The theory of integrating spheres is based on these assumptions:

Light hitting the sides of the sphere is scattered in a diffuse way i.e. Lambertian reflectance
 Only light that has been diffused in the sphere hits the ports or detectors used for probing the
light

Using these assumptions the sphere multiplier can be calculated. This number is the average number of
times a photon is scattered in the sphere, before it is absorbed in the coating or escapes through a port. This
number increases with the reflectivity of the sphere coating and decreases with the ratio between the total
area of ports and other absorbing objects and the sphere inner area. To get a high homogeneity a
recommended sphere multiplier is 10-25.[4] The theory further states that if the above criteria are fulfilled
then the irradiance on any area element on the sphere will be proportional to the total radiant flux input to
the sphere. Absolute measurements of instance luminous flux can then be done by measuring a known light
source and determining the transfer function or calibration curve.

Applications
Light scattered by the interior of the integrating sphere
is evenly distributed over all angles. The integrating
sphere is used in optical measurements. The total power
(flux) of a light source can be measured without
inaccuracy caused by the directional characteristics of
the source, or the measurement device. Reflection and
absorption of samples can be studied. The sphere
Simplified principle of the use of an integrating
creates a reference radiation source that can be used to
sphere to measure the transmittance and
provide a photometric standard. reflectance of a test sample

Integrating spheres are used for a variety of optical,

photometric or radiometric measurements. They are
used to measure the total light radiated in all directions from a lamp. An
integrating sphere can be used to measure the diffuse reflectance of
surfaces, providing an average over all angles of illumination and
observation. An integrating sphere can be used to create a light source
with apparent intensity uniform over all positions within its circular
aperture, and independent of direction except for the cosine function
inherent to ideally diffuse radiating surfaces (Lambertian surfaces).

Since all the light incident on the input port is collected, a detector
connected to an integrating sphere can accurately measure the sum of
all the ambient light incident on a small circular aperture. The total
power of a laser beam can be measured, free from the effects of beam
shape, incident direction, and incident position, as well as polarization. Commercial integrating sphere.
This particular model employs
four separate lamps that can be
Materials specified to achieve the required
spectral output from ultraviolet
The optical properties of the lining of the sphere greatly affect its through infrared.
accuracy. Different coatings must be used at visible, infrared and
ultraviolet wavelengths. High-powered illumination sources may heat
or damage the coating, so an integrating sphere will be rated for a maximum level of incident power. Various
coating materials are used. For visible-spectrum light, early experimenters used a deposit of magnesium
oxide, and barium sulfate also has a usefully flat reflectance over the visible spectrum. Various proprietary
PTFE compounds are also used for visible light measurements. Finely-deposited gold is used for infrared
measurements.
An important requirement for the coating material is the absence of fluorescence. Fluorescent materials
absorb short-wavelength light and re-emit light at longer wavelengths. Due to the many scatterings this
effect is much more pronounced in an integrating sphere than for materials irradiated normally.

Structure
The theory of the integrating sphere assumes a uniform inside surface with diffuse reflectivity approaching
100%. Openings where light can exit or enter, used for detectors and sources, are normally called ports. The
total area of all ports must be small, less than about 5% of the surface area of the sphere, for the theoretical
assumptions to be valid. Unused ports should therefore have matching plugs, with the interior surface of the
plug coated with the same material as the rest of the sphere.

Integrating spheres vary in size from a few centimeters in diameter up to a few meters in diameter. Smaller
spheres are typically used to diffuse incoming radiation, while larger spheres are used to measure integrating
properties like the luminous flux of a lamp or luminaries which is then placed inside the sphere.

If the entering light is incoherent (rather than a laser beam), then it typically fills the source-port, and the
ratio of source-port area to detector-port area is relevant.

Baffles are normally inserted in the sphere to block the direct path of light from a source-port to a detector-
port, since this light will have non-uniform distribution.

See also
Lambert's cosine law

References
1. Tomes, John J.; Finlayson, Chris E. (2016). "Low cost 3D-
printing used in an undergraduate project: an integrating
sphere for measurement of photoluminescence quantum
yield" (http://pure.aber.ac.uk/ws/files/9565512/Tomes_EJP_pr
eprint.pdf) (PDF). European Journal of Physics. 37 (5): Sculpture of an integrating
055501. doi:10.1088/0143-0807/37/5/055501 (https://doi.org/ sphere. Located on the campus
10.1088%2F0143-0807%2F37%2F5%2F055501). of the Technical University of
ISSN 0143-0807 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0143-0807). Dresden
2. James M. Palmer, Barbara G. Grant The Art of Radiometry,
SPIE Press, 2010,ISBN 978-0-8194-7245-8, page 5
3. H. Buckley, "The Whitened Cube as a Precision Integrating Photometer" (1920) Proceedings
of the Institution of Electrical Engineers 59 (London)
4. Integrating Sphere Design and Applications, Sphere Optics [1] (https://web.archive.org/web/20
090815182409/http://www.sphereoptics.com/assets/sphere-optic-pdf/sphere-technical-guide.p
df), pg. 5

RP Photonics, Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology, Integrating spheres (https://ww

w.rp-photonics.com/integrating_spheres.html)
Brian Lai, Labsphere, Integrating Sphere and Applications Training (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20090815182409/http://www.sphereoptics.com/assets/sphere-optic-pdf/sphere-technical-gui
de.pdf)
Labsphere, Inc., A Guide to Integrating Sphere Theory and Applications (http://www.labsphere.
com/uploads/technical-guides/a-guide-to-integrating-sphere-theory-and-applications.pdf)
 Pike Technologies, Integrating Spheres – Introduction and Theory, Pike Technologies
Application Note (http://www.piketech.com/files/pdfs/IntSpheresAN611.pdf)
Newport, Flange Mount Integrating Spheres (http://www.newport.com/Flange-Mount-Integratin
g-Spheres/378467/1033/info.aspx)
Whitehead, Lorne A.; Mossman, Michele A. (2006). "Jack O'Lanterns and integrating spheres:
Halloween Physics" (https://zenodo.org/record/895713). American Journal of Physics. 74 (6):
537–541. Bibcode:2006AmJPh..74..537W (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006AmJPh..7
4..537W). doi:10.1119/1.2190687 (https://doi.org/10.1119%2F1.2190687).
Ducharme, Alfred; Daniels, Arnold; Grann, Eric; Boreman, Glenn (1997). "Design of an
Integrating Sphere as a Uniform Illumination Source" (https://semanticscholar.org/paper/41ddb
e9c6b90efa06b7569dbeb2fa714b1633791). IEEE Transactions on Education. 40 (2): 131–134.
Bibcode:1997ITEdu..40..131D (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1997ITEdu..40..131D).
doi:10.1109/13.572326 (https://doi.org/10.1109%2F13.572326).
Peter Hiscocks, Integrating Sphere for Luminance Calibration (http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~phisc
ock/), Rev 6, May 2016
Ci Systems, Integrating sphere introduction, mechanical structure, calibration and sources (htt
p://www.ci-systems.com/integrating-sphere)

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