Abstract

An expression for the directional transmittance of an absorbing thin film on an absorbing substrate was developed by using the classical electromagnetic theory. This expression when combined with the well-studied reflectance can yield absorptance values that are of utmost interest in heat transfer studies. The behavior of the normal and hemispherical reflectance, absorptance, and transmittance is exhibited for some selected values of film and substrate optical constants and is presented graphically as a function of film optical thickness. The results indicate that the imaginary part of the complex index of refraction for both film and substrate should be accounted for when calculating radiative transfer and properties of such films.

© 1973 Optical Society of America

Determination of the Optical Properties of Thin Films from Single-Angle Reflectance Measurements

D. L. Pulfrey and J. J. H. Reche
Appl. Opt. 12(7) 1577-1580 (1973)

Effect of film absorption on a film-substrate reflection polarizer

M. Ruiz-Urbieta and E. M. Sparrow
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 63(2) 194-200 (1973)

Action of an Electric Field on the Photoelectric Properties of Thin Films of Calcium

Louis Gaudart and René Rivoira
Appl. Opt. 12(8) 1897-1903 (1973)

UNIFIED analytical formulation of thin-film radiative properties including partial coherence

Kang Fu, Pei-feng Hsu, and Zhuomin M. Zhang
Appl. Opt. 45(4) 653-661 (2006)

Wavelength Bandwidth and Other Design Aspects for Film–Substrate Reflection Polarizers

M. Ruiz-Urbieta, E. M. Sparrow, and G. W. Goldman
Appl. Opt. 12(3) 590-596 (1973)