Spectralon

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Spectralon is a material with very high diffuse reflection; almost a perfect lambertian surface. It is a common reference surface in remote sensing, and is used to make integrating spheres and laser pump cavities.

1 Characteristics
2 Applications
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Characteristics

Spectralon is a thermoplastic resin widely used for its optical properties. Its reflectance is higher than 99% for wavelengths from 400 to 1500 nanometers, and higher than 95% from 250 to 2500 nm. Spectralon is highly lambertian from 257 nanometers to 10.6 micrometres.

[edit] Applications

Spectralon's optical properties make it ideal as a reference surface in remote sensing. For instance, it is used to obtain leaf reflectance and bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) in the laboratory. It can also be applied to obtain vegetation fluorescence using the Fraunhofer lines ^[1]. Basically spectralon allows removing the contributions in the emitted light that are not directly linked to the surface (leaf) properties but to geometrical factors.

[edit] References

^ Evain S, Flexas J, Moya I (2004). "A new instrument for passive remote sensing: 2. Measurement of leaf and canopy reflectance changes at 531 nm and their relationship with photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence". Remote Sensing of Environment 91 (2): 175–185.