Integrating Sphere with the Spectrometer is a system designed to measure the properties of light sources, including their spectral distribution, luminous flux, and stability over time. It enables accurate characterization of LEDs, lamps, and other emitters by capturing and averaging light from all directions inside the sphere for uniform measurement conditions.
Description
Integrating sphere with the spectrometer
The system is designed to measure and characterize various properties of light sources, such as spectral distribution, luminous flux, stability, and operational durability. It provides reliable and repeatable results for both research and quality control applications.
The setup consists of three main components:
⬛ Integrating Sphere – A specially coated spherical chamber that ensures uniform light distribution, regardless of the directionality of the light source. This allows accurate total light output measurements and eliminates the effects of spatial non-uniformity.
⬛ Spectrometer – A high-precision optical measurement device connected to the integrating sphere, responsible for capturing and analyzing the emission spectrum of the light source across a broad wavelength range (typically UV, VIS, and NIR). Depending on the configuration, it may be CCD-based or monochromator-based.
⬛ Electronic Control System – Handles power management, sensor coordination, and data transmission between components. It ensures synchronized operation and provides control over measurement parameters.
The entire system connects to a PC via USB and is operated through dedicated software, which offers real-time spectrum display, data logging, comparison of results over time, and automatic generation of measurement reports.
This configuration is ideal for laboratories, production lines, or research facilities requiring accurate assessment of LEDs, lamps, or other light-emitting devices.
Measured Values and Features of the Light Source Characterization System
The device performs precise electrical and thermal measurements to fully characterize the behavior and stability of light sources. Key measured values include:
- RMS current through the light source, with an accuracy of ±1 mA
- RMS voltage across the light source, with an accuracy of ±1 V
- RMS mains voltage
- Active power consumed by the load, accurate to ±1 W
- Reactive power consumed by the load, accurate to ±1 var
- Power factor (cosΦ) with a precision of ±0.02°
- Internal temperature inside the integrating sphere, with an accuracy of ±0.5°C
In addition to these values, the system collects 64 synchronous samples per second of the following parameters, aligned with each period of the mains voltage:
- Instantaneous voltage
- Voltage on the light source
- Current through the light source
This allows for detailed time-domain analysis of voltage and current behavior, enabling graphical illustration and phase analysis.
Additional Functionalities
Built-in phase controller, fully PC-controlled, allows modulation of the supplied power. It is adjustable in 1% steps, covering a range from 0% to 100%.
- A short-circuit bypass option allows disabling the controller if desired.
- Alternatively, users may connect their own external phase controller.
- For light source durability testing, both the on-time and off-time can be independently set in a broad range from 0.2 seconds to 1000 hours, supporting long-term endurance testing and thermal cycling evaluations.
