Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A device for artificially weathering or testing the lightfastness of samples comprising:a weathering chamber;an ultraviolet radiation device arranged in the weathering chamber and having at least one ultraviolet light emitting diode; andan ultraviolet light receiving diode, which is constructed on the same material basis as the ultraviolet light emitting diode and is arranged relative to the ultraviolet light emitting diode in such a way that a portion of the radiation emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting diode impinges on the ultraviolet receiving diode during the operation of the device. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:a plurality of classes of ultraviolet light emitting diodes having different emission bands; anda corresponding plurality of ultraviolet light receiving diodes, wherein each of the ultraviolet light receiving diodes is constructed on a same material basis as any ultraviolet light emitting diode in one class. 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitting diode and the ultraviolet light receiving diode are arranged on a common carrier, in particular a circuit board. 4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitting diode and the ultraviolet receiving diode are oriented in the same way. 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light emitting diode and the ultraviolet receiving diode are not oriented in the same way, in particular are tilted relative to one another. 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a coupling medium is arranged in the beam path of the portion impinging on the ultraviolet light receiving diode, said coupling medium directing the portion onto the ultraviolet light receiving diode. 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coupling medium is a plate that is transmissive to ultraviolet radiation. 8. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one further ultraviolet light emitting diode, wherein a portion of the radiation emitted by the further ultraviolet light emitting diode impinges on the ultraviolet light receiving diode during the operation of the device. 9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the further ultraviolet light emitting diode and the coupling medium are arranged relative to one another in such a way that, during the operation of the device, a portion of the radiation emitted by the further ultraviolet light emitting diode is directed onto the ultraviolet light receiving diode by the coupling medium. 10. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the further ultraviolet light emitting diode and the coupling medium are arranged relative to one another in such a way that, during the operation of the device, a portion of the radiation emitted by the further ultraviolet light emitting diode is directed onto the ultraviolet light receiving diode by the coupling medium. 11. An ultraviolet radiation device, comprisinga plurality of ultraviolet light emitting diodes, and an ultraviolet light receiving diode, which is constructed on the same material basis as the ultraviolet light emitting diodes and is arranged relative to the ultraviolet light emitting diodes in such a way that a portion of the radiation emitted by the ultraviolet light emitting diodes impinges on the ultraviolet receiving diode during the operation of the device. 12. A method for operating a device for artificially weathering or testing the lightfastness of samples, comprising:a. providing a weathering chamber;b. providing at least two ultraviolet semiconductor diodes on the same material basis;c. arranging a first of the two ultraviolet semiconductor diodes in the weathering chamber and operating the first ultraviolet semiconductor diode as a ultraviolet light emitting diode; andd. arranging a second of the two ultraviolet semiconductor diodes in the weathering chamber; ande. operating the second semiconductor diode as an ultraviolet light receiving diode, wherein the second ultraviolet semiconductor diode is arranged relative to the first ultraviolet semiconductor diode in such a way that a portion of the radiation emitted by the first ultraviolet semiconductor diode impinges on the second ultraviolet semiconductor diode during the operation of the device. 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, whereinin step b. a plurality of classes of ultraviolet light emitting diodes having different emission bands and a plurality of ultraviolet light receiving diodes are provided, whereineach of the ultraviolet light receiving diodes is constructed on the same material basis as an ultraviolet light emitting diode in one class. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein in step b. the plurality of classes of ultraviolet light emitting diodes having different emission bands are chosen in such a way that a specific spectral ultraviolet characteristic is approximated. 15. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising regulating the operation of the ultraviolet light emitting diode on the basis of an output signal of the ultraviolet light receiving diode. 16. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising regulating the operation of the ultraviolet light emitting diodes on the basis of output signals of the ultraviolet light receiving diodes.