Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025
11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
10.4K
Effects of Cascading Optical Processes: Part II: Impacts on Experimental Quantification of Sample Absorption and
Pathum Wathudura1, Max Wamsley1, Ankai Wang2
1Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39759, United States.
Analytical Chemistry
|February 14, 2023
Summary
This study investigates how light scattering and absorption affect UV-Vis spectroscopy in materials. We found that while scattering can interfere with measurements, its impact on overall light absorption is minimal, validating new spectroscopic methods.
Area of Science:
- Optical Spectroscopy
- Materials Science
Background:
- Part I analyzed light scattering effects on pure scatterers.
- This study (Part II) examines combined light scattering and absorption in non-emissive samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay of light scattering and absorption in UV-Vis spectroscopy.
- To assess the impact of these phenomena on experimental measurements and data interpretation.
Main Methods:
- Experimental UV-Vis spectroscopy on samples with absorbers and scatterers.
- Utilizing integrating-sphere-assisted resonance synchronous spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- Experimental UV-Vis spectra are a sum of absorption and scattering extinction.
- Forward scattered light can prematurely limit Beer's law adherence.
- Light absorption reduces scattering intensity and depolarization.
- Scattering's impact on total light absorption is negligible (<10%) when scattered light absorption is considered.
Conclusions:
- The findings validate integrating-sphere-assisted spectroscopy for quantifying absorption and scattering contributions.
- Provides guidelines for reliable optical characterization of materials that both absorb and scatter light.
- Establishes foundational insights for studies on fluorescent samples (Part III).
