How woodcocks produce the most brilliant white plumage patches among the birds

Until recently, and when compared with diurnal birds that use contrasting plumage patches and complex feather structures to convey visual information, communication in nocturnal and crepuscular species was considered to follow acoustic and chemical channels. However, many birds that are active in low-light environments have evolved intensely white plumage patches within otherwise inconspicuous plumages. We used spectrophotometry, electron microscopy, and optical modelling to explain the mechanisms producing bright white tail feather tips of the Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola. Their diffuse reflectance was approximately 30% higher than any previously measured feather. This intense reflectance is the result of incoherent light scattering from a disordered nanostructure composed of keratin and air within the barb rami. In addition, the flattening, thickening and arrangement of those barbs create a Venetian-blind-like macrostructure that enhances the surface area for light reflection. We suggest that the woodcocks have evolved these bright white feather patches for long-range visual communication in dimly lit environments.     

Bidirectional reflectance distribution function of Spectralon white reflectance standard illuminated by incoherent unpolarized and plane-polarized light

A Lambert surface would appear equally bright from all observation directions regardless of the illumination direction. However, the reflection from a randomly scattering object generally has directional variation, which can be described in terms of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). We measured the BRDF of a Spectralon white reflectance standard for incoherent illumination at 405 and 680?nm with unpolarized and plane-polarized light from different directions of incidence. Our measurements show deviations of the BRDF for the Spectralon white reflectance standard from that of a Lambertian reflector that depend both on the angle of incidence and the polarization states of the incident light and detected light. The non-Lambertian reflection characteristics were found to increase more toward the direction of specular reflection as the angle of incidence gets larger.     

Realization of an extremely low reflectance surface based on InP porous nanostructures for application to photoelectrochemical solar cells

Extremely low reflectance was obtained from InP porous nanostructures in UV, visible, and near-infrared ranges. Porous samples were electrochemically prepared on which 130-nm-diameter nanopores were formed in a straight, vertical direction and were laterally separated by 50-nm-thick InP nanowalls. The reflectance strongly depended on the surface morphology. The lowest reflectance of 0.1% in the visible light range was obtained after the irregular top layer had been completely removed. Superior photoelectrochemical properties were obtained on the InP porous structures due to two unique features: the large surface area inside pores, and the large photon absorption enhanced on the low reflectance surface.     

Variational estimation of inhomogeneous specular reflectance and illumination from a single view

Estimating the illumination and the reflectance properties of an object surface from a few images is an important but challenging problem. The problem becomes even more challenging if we wish to deal with real-world objects that naturally have spatially inhomogeneous reflectance. In this paper, we derive a novel method for estimating the spatially varying specular reflectance properties of a surface of known geometry as well as the illumination distribution of a scene from a specular-only image, for instance, recovered from two images captured with a polarizer to separate reflection components. Unlike previous work, we do not assume the illumination to be a single point light source. We model specular reflection with a spherical statistical distribution and encode its spatial variation with a radial basis function (RBF) network of their parameter values, which allows us to formulate the simultaneous estimation of spatially varying specular reflectance and illumination as a constrained optimization based on the I-divergence measure. To solve it, we derive a variational algorithm based on the expectation maximization principle. At the same time, we estimate optimal encoding of the specular reflectance properties by learning the number, centers, and widths of the RBF hidden units. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method on images of synthetic and real-world objects.     

Surface bidirectional reflection distribution function and the texture of bricks and tiles

We study and analyze properties underlying the visual appearance of materials such as the surface bidirectional reflection distribution function and texture. The spatial distribution of scattered light in relation to the incident light determines the surface appearance and can be partly specified by the bidirectional reflection distribution function, which is defined as the directionally dependent ratio of radiance to irradiance. We perform gonioradiometric measurements on samples of bricks and tiles. To describe the reflection mechanisms in the surfaces under study, we combine models of specular and diffuse reflectance from rough surfaces and fit them to the experimental data. We also collect images and determine the textural differences in the surface appearance, resulting from the variation in the illumination direction and the viewing directions.     

Measurement and Modeling of the Bidirectional Reflectance of SiO2 Coated Si Surfaces

An understanding of the variation of directional radiative properties of rough surfaces with dielectric coatings is important for temperature measurements and heat transfer analysis in many industrial processes. An experimental study has been conducted to investigate the effect of coating thickness on the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of rough silicon surfaces.Silicon dioxide films with thicknesses of 107.2, 216.5, and 324.6 nm were deposited using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition onto the rough side of two Si wafers. The wafer surfaces exhibit distinct anisotropic characteristics as a result of chemical etching during the manufacturing process. A laser scatterometer measures the BRDF at a wavelength of 635 nm, after improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio. The slope distribution function obtained from the measured BRDF of uncoated Si surfaces was used in an analytical model based on geometric optics for rough surface scattering and thin-film optics for microfacet reflectance. The predicted BRDFs are in reasonable agreement with experimental results for a large range of coating thicknesses. The limitations of the geometric optics for modeling the BRDF of coated anisotropic rough surfaces in the specular direction are demonstrated. The results may benefit future radiative transfer analysis involving complicated surface microstructures with thin-film coatings.     

Effect of local microroughness on the gloss uniformity of printed paper surfaces

A critical factor that affects the appearance of printed paper surfaces is gloss uniformity, which is usually assessed visually. To relate gloss uniformity to nonvisual quantities, we first visually identified areas of either high or low gloss on the same sample for two different types of paper. We then measured the roughness and the reflectance of these areas. Microroughness was measured with an atomic-force microscope, and roughness was measured over a larger area with a confocal laser scanning microscope. The local reflectance of the high-gloss and the low-gloss areas was obtained from images taken with a gloss-imaging instrument and compared with the roughness of each area. This correlation is nonlinear, and roughness is insufficient to predict the local reflectance. Light-scattering measurements were made in the specular direction to map the gloss uniformity over larger areas than was possible with the gloss-imaging instrument. These maps were used to show the possibility of using both the spatial frequency and the fan filters, which together form a set of cortex filters, to analyze the variation of the gloss about the mean value and its spatial distribution on the surface in terms of spatial frequency and azimuthal orientation.     

基于光源平移恢复物体法线和材质的算法

提出了一种基于光源平移恢复物体法线和材质的算法.光源平移时获得一组输入图像.根据输入图像将物体表面上的点分成纯漫反射点和混合点(包含漫反射和镜面反射的点).首先,根据镜面反射的原理求出混合点的法线.然后根据求出的法线用全局优化的迭代方法来恢复物体的材质.最后,根据不同输入图像中光源与物体的相对位置的不同,通过一个三角函数来恢复物体表面纯漫反射点的法线.分析对比实验结果和场景的真实参数表明,算法能够有效地恢复物体的法线和材质.     

Hemispherical and diffuse reflectance and transmittance of a slightly inhomogeneous film bounded by rough, unparallel interfaces

The optical reflectance and transmittance of an ideal thin film are calculated in a well-known way. As far as a non-ideal thin film is concerned - i.e., a slightly inhomogeneous thin film bounded by rough, unparallel interfaces - three categories of spectral coefficients can be defined, i.e.: specular reflectance and direct transmittance (light intensity flux along the optical axis), hemispherical reflectance and transmittance (light intensity flux integrated over the solid half angle π), and diffuse reflectance and transmittance (light intensity flux scattered around the optical axis) coefficients. In this paper a model recently introduced for the specular and direct coefficients is generalized to calculate also the hemispherical and diffuse coefficients of a non-ideal film.     

Optical and structural properties of porous zinc oxide fabricated via electrochemical etching method

We investigated the optical and structural properties of porous zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film fabricated by ultraviolet light-assisted electrochemical etching. This fabrication process used 10 wt% potassium hydroxide solution as an electrolyte. Hillock-like porous ZnO films were successfully fabricated according to the field emission scanning electron microscopy results. The cross-sectional study of the sample indicated that anisotropic-dominated etching process occurred. However, the atomic force microscopic results showed an increase in surface roughness of the sample after electrochemical etching. A resonance hump induced by the porous structure was observed in the infrared reflectance spectrum. Using theoretical modeling technique, ZnO porosification was verified, and the porosity of the sample was determined.     

Broadband and polarization reflectors in the lookdown,Selene vomer

Predator evasion in the open ocean is difficult because there are no objects to hide behind. The silvery surface of fish plays an important role in open water camouflage. Various models have been proposed to account for the broadband reflectance by the fish skin that involve one-dimensional variations in the arrangement of guanine crystal reflectors, yet the three-dimensional organization of these guanine platelets have not been well characterized. Here, we report the three-dimensional organization and the optical properties of integumentary guanine platelets in a silvery marine fish, the lookdown (Selene vomer). Our structural analysis and computational modelling show that stacks of guanine platelets with random yaw angles in the fish skin produce broadband reflectance via colour mixing. Optical axes of the guanine platelets and the collagen layer are aligned closely and provide bulk birefringence properties that influence the polarization reflectance by the skin. These data demonstrate how the lookdown preserves or alters polarization states at different incident polarization angles. These optical properties resulted from the organization of these guanine platelets and the collagen layer may have implications for open ocean camouflage in varying light fields.     

Second-harmonic specular and scattered generated light: application to the experimental study of zinc-sulfide thin films

We present measurements of second-harmonic generation with zinc-sulfide thin films. Both scattered light and specular light are investigated in linear optics as well as in second-harmonic generation. We show that second-harmonic generation is a powerful tool for understanding the nonlinear properties of thin films; it allows the study of the anisotropy found in the scattered and specular second harmonic. Using the symmetry of susceptibility tensors, we show that the films cannot be considered homogeneous when the crystallites are large. Finally, we outline nonlinear scattering measurements, which bring out the usefulness of second-harmonic light in probing the structure of thin films.     

Width of the specular peak perpendicular to the principal plane for rough surfaces

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model developed by Torrance and Sparrow [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57, 1105-1114 (1967)] is used to describe the specular reflection of rough surfaces. We compare this model with the BRDF measurements of four manmade surfaces with different roughnesses. The model can be used to describe the basic features of the measured BRDFs. We found that the width of the specular peak perpendicular to the principal plane decreases strongly with an increasing illumination zenith angle in the data as well as in the model. A model analysis shows that the width is approximately proportional to the cosine of the illumination angle theta(i), and the deviations are determined by the roughness of the surface. This relationship is accompanied by an increase in reflectance in the specular direction in the principal plane that is 1/cos theta(i) stronger than the increase for a perfectly smooth surface.     

NIST High Accuracy Reference Reflectometer-Spectrophotometer

A new reflectometer-spectrophotometer has been designed and constructed using state-of-the-art technology to enhance optical properties of materials measurements over the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) wavelength range (200 nm to 2500 nm). The instrument, Spectral Tri-function Automated Reference Reflectometer (STARR), is capable of measuring specular and diffuse reflectance, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of diffuse samples, and both diffuse and non-diffuse transmittance. Samples up to 30 cm by 30 cm can be measured. The instrument and its characterization are described.     

A highly distributed Bragg stack with unique geometry provides effective camouflage for Loliginid squid eyes

Cephalopods possess a sophisticated array of mechanisms to achieve camouflage in dynamic underwater environments. While active mechanisms such as chromatophore patterning and body posturing are well known, passive mechanisms such as manipulating light with highly evolved reflectors may also play an important role. To explore the contribution of passive mechanisms to cephalopod camouflage, we investigated the optical and biochemical properties of the silver layer covering the eye of the California fishery squid, Loligo opalescens. We discovered a novel nested-spindle geometry whose correlated structure effectively emulates a randomly distributed Bragg reflector (DBR), with a range of spatial frequencies resulting in broadband visible reflectance, making it a nearly ideal passive camouflage material for the depth at which these animals live. We used the transfer-matrix method of optical modelling to investigate specular reflection from the spindle structures, demonstrating that a DBR with widely distributed thickness variations of high refractive index elements is sufficient to yield broadband reflectance over visible wavelengths, and that unlike DBRs with one or a few spatial frequencies, this broadband reflectance occurs from a wide range of viewing angles. The spindle shape of the cells may facilitate self-assembly of a random DBR to achieve smooth spatial distributions in refractive indices. This design lends itself to technological imitation to achieve a DBR with wide range of smoothly varying layer thicknesses in a facile, inexpensive manner.     

Alignment of crystal orientations of the multi-domain photonic crystals in Parides sesostris wing scales

It is known that the wing scales of the emerald-patched cattleheart butterfly, Parides sesostris, contain gyroid-type photonic crystals, which produce a green structural colour. However, the photonic crystal is not a single crystal that spreads over the entire scale, but it is separated into many small domains with different crystal orientations. As a photonic crystal generally has band gaps at different frequencies depending on the direction of light propagation, it seems mysterious that the scale is observed to be uniformly green under an optical microscope despite the multi-domain structure. In this study, we have carefully investigated the structure of the wing scale and discovered that the crystal orientations of different domains are not perfectly random, but there is a preferred crystal orientation that is aligned along the surface normal of the scale. This finding suggests that there is an additional factor during the developmental process of the microstructure that regulates the crystal orientation.     

Magnetic Field Effects on Surface Morphology and Magnetic Properties of Co–Ni–N Thin Films Prepared by Electrodeposition

The surface morphology and magnetic properties of Co?CNi?CN thin films electrodeposited under an external magnetic field were investigated. The films were electroplated on Al substrates using the same electrodeposition parameters (temperature and pH) for all experiments, with an external magnetic field of 107?Oe applied to the cathode surface. The films were compared with similar samples obtained in the absences of magnetic field. The magneto-induced modifications in the Co?CNi?CN morphology can be explained by the specific local convection of ions at the interface cathode-electrolyte, which promotes changes both in the electrical charge of the double layer and in the thickness of the diffusion layer. From the magnetic measurements, we found that the coercivity varied between H _c =(14÷27)?kA/m depending on the direction of the applied magnetic field and on the sodium nitrate content in the plating bath. It was observed that an induced anisotropy appeared in the Co?CNi?CN films due to the preferential orientation of the easy axis of magnetization in the magnetic field direction. In addition, the Co?CNi?CN alloy films showed good magnetic property, which is considered that not only the smaller grain size of the films, but also more uniform surface of the films than that deposited in absence of applied magnetic field.     

Estimating fibre orientation in spruce using lighting direction

Softwood is almost entirely composed of fibres and its physical properties depend on their orientation. A method is proposed to estimate the average fibre orientation at each pixel in the inspection image. In this study it is shown that finished wood has distinctive reflectance properties that are a consequence of the microstructure of the wood surface. If the fibres lie parallel to the image plane these properties can be used to estimate fibre orientation. It is argued that the reflectance behaviour reported in this study generalises to a wide range of materials with directional microstructures.     

Directional reflectance of vegetation measured by a calibrated digital camera

Obtaining directional reflectance information for vegetation canopies is often an expensive and time-consuming process. We present here a simple approach based on the use of an inexpensive digital camera equipped with a wide-angle lens. By the imaging of a large homogeneous area, a single image captures multiple views of a vegetation canopy. This gives a directional reflectance distribution fully sampled for view direction and free of variations in Sun elevation and azimuth. We determined the radiometric response of the camera sensor CCD's at the focal point and then extended this calibration to the full CCD array by using averaged images of clear blue sky. We evaluated the utility of the system by obtaining directional reflectance distributions of two vegetation targets, grass (Lolium spp) and pine forest (Pinus radiata), for red visible light. The precision of the derived biangular pattern of reflectance was +/-7%.     

Influence of surfactant addition for the texture etching process on multi-crystalline silicon wafer

This study investigates the effects of different recipes and concentrations of surfactant on the texture and reflectance of a multi-crystalline silicon wafer surface. The morphology of the surface was examined and photographed using a field emission scanning electronic microscope. The reflectance of the surface was measured and analyzed using a self-designed optical system. The results of this study show that a higher hydrocarbon-surfactant (CH-surfactant) concentration in the etchant resulted in a slower reaction time. The optimum concentration of CH-surfactant was 1%. However, there were many white bubbles in the etching process. The optimum recipe for surfactant included fluoride 2% to diminish these bubbles. The reflectance was less than 22% in visible light. This cost effective acid chemical etching method is suitable for texturing silicon surfaces on 50?nm nanostructures. This is a critical criterion for determining the optimum recipe for surface texturing of acidic etching in solar cells.