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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Measuring Spatially- and Directionally-varying Light Scattering from Biological Material
Published on: May 20, 2013
Studies of factors affecting light scattering by individual human hair fibres
1Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, University of London.
Abstract:
Synopsis An automated goniophotometer has been built to investigate the scattering of light by different types of singly mounted human hair fibres using white light and laser illumination. The effects that varying hair colour and treatment (gold coating, ultraviolet irradiation and dyeing) have on the specular reflectance and on the half-peak-height width (omega) have been studied. The polarization of light has been used to discriminate between light reflected from the front surface and light scattered internally by the hair. It has been found that the analysis of results from individual hair fibres has been useful in understanding the light scattering mechanisms which occur in human hair.
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