Open AccessLight scattering in fibrous media with different degrees of in-plane fiber alignment
Author(s) -
Tomas Linder,
Torbjörn Löfqvist,
LarsErik Wernersson,
Per Gren
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.016829
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , transmittance , light scattering , scattering , fiber , photon diffusion , orientation (vector space) , monte carlo method , optical fiber , ray , light source , physics , composite material , geometry , statistics , mathematics
Fiber orientation is an important structural property in paper and other fibrous materials. In this study we explore the relation between light scattering and in-plane fiber orientation in paper sheets. Light diffusion from a focused light source is simulated using a Monte Carlo technique where parameters describing the paper micro-structure were determined from 3D x-ray computed tomography images. Measurements and simulations on both spatially resolved reflectance and transmittance light scattering patterns show an elliptical shape where the main axis is aligned towards the fiber orientation. Good qualitative agreement was found at low intensities and the results indicate that fiber orientation in thin fiber-based materials can be determined using spatially resolved reflectance or transmittance.