New spectrophotometer revolutionizes solar reflectance and transmittance measurements for all surfaces.
A new instrument was built to measure how light reflects and passes through different materials at different angles. It uses a single light source for three setups: one for diffuse samples, one for specular samples, and one for absolute measurements. The instrument was tested and calibrated using standard materials and mirrors. The results showed that the instrument gave accurate measurements when the proper evaluation methods were used. The design of the instrument and the properties of the materials being tested are important factors that affect the results. The instrument was compared to another one and showed similar results when evaluated correctly.