Spectral BRDF-based determination of proper measurement geometries to characterize color shift of special effect coatings.

A reduced set of measurement geometries allows the spectral reflectance of special effect coatings to be predicted for any other geometry. A physical model based on flake-related parameters has been used to determine nonredundant measurement geometries for the complete description of the spectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). The analysis of experimental spectral BRDF was carried out by means of principal component analysis.

Spectral and geometrical variation of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of diffuse reflectance standards.

A study on the variation of the spectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of four diffuse reflectance standards (matte ceramic, BaSO(4), Spectralon, and white Russian opal glass) is accomplished through this work. Spectral BRDF measurements were carried out and, using principal components analysis, its spectral and geometrical variation respect to a reference geometry was assessed from the experimental data. Several descriptors were defined in order to compare the spectral BRDF variation of the four materials.

Variables separation of the spectral BRDF for better understanding color variation in special effect pigment coatings.

A type of representation of the spectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is proposed that distinctly separates the spectral variable (wavelength) from the geometrical variables (spherical coordinates of the irradiation and viewing directions). Principal components analysis (PCA) is used in order to decompose the spectral BRDF in decorrelated spectral components, and the weight that they have at every geometrical configuration of irradiation/viewing is established. This method was applied to the spectral BRDF measurement of a special effect pigment sample, and four principal components with relevant variance were identified.

High-power and high-accuracy integrating sphere radiometer: design, characterization, and calibration.

We describe the design, characterization, and calibration of a high-power and high-accuracy transfer standard for optical power measurements in fibers based on an integrating sphere radiometer working from -50 to +30 dBm. The integrating sphere radiometer has been calibrated in the spectral range 1250-1650 nm by use of an electrically calibrated pyroelectric radiometer and four tunable laser diodes. The total uncertainty obtained is less than +/-0.

Reference-frequency generation by Raman-enhanced four-photon mixing.

Reference-frequency generation for optical fiber instrumentation is now restricted to the frequency bands in which the reference materials have well-resolved absorption lines. We study analytically and experimentally the possibility of generating reference wavelengths by use of Raman-enhanced four-photon mixing in an optical fiber. We show that it is possible to generate efficiently frequencies that are 10-40 nm away from the absorption bands of the usual reference materials: acetylene (12C2H2), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and similar or derived species.