Integrating sphere depolarization at 10 µm for a non-Lambertian wall surface: application to lidar calibration.

The relative Stokes vectors at the detector exit port of a sandblasted and gold-plated integrating sphere are determined for four different polarizations incident on five unique surfaces. The results indicate in all cases that the integrating sphere is a depolarizer. These results validate assumptions used in hard-target calibration methodology for infrared lidars.