Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Fabrication of Nd<sup>3+</sup> and Yb<sup>3+</sup> doped NIR emitting nano fluorescent probe: A candidate for bioimaging applications.

Materials science & engineering. C, Materials for biological applications·2021

Same author

Decoding collective communications using information theory tools.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2020

Same author

Stokes emission in GdF₃:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles for bioimaging probes.

Nanoscale·2013

Same author

Activated rate processes and a specific biochemical mechanism for explaining delayed laser induced thermal damage to the retina.

Journal of biomedical optics·2012

Same author

Polarons and charge carrier solvation on conjugated carbon chains: a comparative ab initio study.

The journal of physical chemistry. A·2010

Same author

A comparative ab initio study of neutral and charged kink solitons on conjugated carbon chains.

The Journal of chemical physics·2010

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Multimodal Imaging and Spectroscopy Fiber-bundle Microendoscopy Platform for Non-invasive, In Vivo Tissue Analysis

Multimodal Imaging and Spectroscopy Fiber-bundle Microendoscopy Platform for Non-invasive, In Vivo Tissue Analysis

Published on: October 17, 2016

Optical characterization of melanin.

D K Sardar¹, M L Mayo, R D Glickman

¹The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Physics and Astronomy, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA. dsardar@utsa.edu

Journal of Biomedical Optics

|December 1, 2001

Summary

This study details melanin's optical properties, including its refractive index, absorption, and scattering coefficients, using advanced methods for potential applications in optics and medicine.

Area of Science:

Biophysics
Optical physics
Materials science

Background:

Melanin, a biopolymer, plays crucial roles in biological systems.
Understanding melanin's optical properties is essential for various applications.
Previous characterizations have limitations in scope and methodology.

Purpose of the Study:

To comprehensively characterize the optical properties of melanin.
To measure the index of refraction, absorption, and scattering coefficients.
To validate measurement techniques against established simulation methods.

Main Methods:

Conventional minimum deviation method using a hollow quartz prism for refractive index.
Inverse adding doubling method with double integrating spheres for optical coefficients.

More Related Videos

Characterization of Biological Absorption Spectra Spanning the Visible to the Short-Wave Infrared

Characterization of Biological Absorption Spectra Spanning the Visible to the Short-Wave Infrared

Published on: January 10, 2025

Spray-Coated Melanin/PEDOT:PSS Films for Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Spray-Coated Melanin/PEDOT:PSS Films for Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Published on: October 28, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 28, 2026

Multimodal Imaging and Spectroscopy Fiber-bundle Microendoscopy Platform for Non-invasive, In Vivo Tissue Analysis

Multimodal Imaging and Spectroscopy Fiber-bundle Microendoscopy Platform for Non-invasive, In Vivo Tissue Analysis

Published on: October 17, 2016

Characterization of Biological Absorption Spectra Spanning the Visible to the Short-Wave Infrared

Characterization of Biological Absorption Spectra Spanning the Visible to the Short-Wave Infrared

Published on: January 10, 2025

Spray-Coated Melanin/PEDOT:PSS Films for Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Spray-Coated Melanin/PEDOT:PSS Films for Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Published on: October 28, 2025

Radiative transport theory and diffusion approximation applied.

Comparison with Monte Carlo simulation techniques.

Main Results:

Detailed optical properties of melanin were determined across visible laser wavelengths.
Index of refraction, absorption, and scattering anisotropy coefficients were quantified.
Inverse adding doubling method results showed good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations.

Conclusions:

The study provides a robust dataset on melanin's optical characteristics.
Validated methods enhance the reliability of optical property measurements.
Findings support the use of melanin in optical and biomedical applications.