Portable First-Surface Reflectance & Thin Film Analyzer
Measure the coating — not the back surface.
The PhotonMetra P100 is a portable and stand-alone spectroscopic measurement system for quantitative first-surface reflectance analysis of coated glass and transparent plastic substrates.
Operating over 250–1100 nm, the fiber-optic measurement system selectively measures the reflection from the first air–substrate interface while minimizing contributions from the rear surface.
With measurement geometries of 15° and 30°, the PhotonMetra P100 is designed for both laboratory and production environments.
Key Features
250-1100 nm
UV–VIS–NIR spectral range
First-Surface Reflectance
Minimized rear-surface contribution
15° & 30° Measurement
Improved front- and rear-surface separation for thinner glass
Glass & Transparent Plastics
Suitable for coated transparent substrates
Laboratory & Production
For R&D, process control and quality assurance
Portable & Stand-Alone
Integrated computer and display
Why First-Surface Measurement?
Measure the coating itself — not the complete glass substrate.
On transparent substrates, conventional reflectance measurements may contain contributions from both the front and rear surfaces. The PhotonMetra P100 uses a defined fiber-optic measurement geometry to isolate the first-surface reflection and strongly suppress the rear-surface contribution.
How it works
The PhotonMetra P100 uses a defined illumination and detection geometry to spatially separate the reflection from the front surface from the reflection originating at the rear surface of the transparent substrate. By positioning the illumination and detection optics at a controlled angle, the two reflected beams follow different optical paths. The detector is aligned to collect the first-surface reflection while strongly suppressing the contribution from the rear surface.
Substrate thickness is an important parameter because it determines the spatial separation between the front- and rear-surface reflections. For glass thicknesses of approximately 3 mm and above, the standard 15° measurement geometry is recommended. For thinner glass, the 30° geometry provides greater separation between the two reflections and can typically extend first-surface measurement capability down to glass thicknesses of approximately 1.5 mm.
Measurement Modes
First-Surface Reflectance
The PhotonMetra P100 is primarily designed for first-surface reflectance measurement, isolating the reflection from the front surface while strongly suppressing the contribution from the rear surface. Measurements can be performed at 15° and 30°. The 30° geometry increases the spatial separation between the front- and rear-surface reflections, extending first-surface measurement capability to thinner transparent substrates.
Total Reflectance
FFor very thin transparent substrates, the front- and rear-surface reflections may no longer be reliably separated. In these cases, the PhotonMetra P100 can operate in Total Reflectance mode, measuring the combined reflectance of the complete transparent substrate. This mode is suitable for thin glass and transparent polymer substrates. It is also useful when the total optical response of the complete component is more relevant than the reflectance of an individual surface.
Typical Applications
Solar Glass Production Control
Coated Glass Inspection
Display & Cover Glass
Transparent Plastics
Thin-Film Development
Production Spot Checks
Solar Glass Production Control
Portable first-surface reflectance measurement for coated solar glass, enabling rapid verification of AR coating performance directly in the production environment. Measurements can be performed at different positions on the glass to evaluate coating consistency and support process and quality control.
Coated Glass Inspection
Portable first-surface reflectance measurement directly on coated glass, without requiring small laboratory samples. Suitable for coating development, incoming inspection and production quality control.
Display & Cover Glass
Measurement of anti-reflection and other optical coatings on display and cover glass, where the reflectance of the coated front surface is the relevant parameter.
Transparent Plastics
First-surface or total-reflectance measurement on transparent polymer substrates and coated plastics, depending on substrate thickness and measurement requirements.
Thin-Film Development
Spectral first-surface reflectance data can be used to compare coating designs, evaluate process changes and support thin-film optical analysis during coating development.
Production Spot Checks
The portable stand-alone design allows measurements to be performed directly at different locations in the laboratory or production environment, supporting rapid comparison of coating performance across samples or production batches.
Portable & Stand-Alone Operation
The PhotonMetra P100 is designed as a portable stand-alone measurement system with an integrated computer and display. Measurements, data review and basic analysis can therefore be performed directly at the measurement location without requiring a separate external PC.
The system is suitable for both laboratory use and production environments. Touchscreen operation is supported, while a keyboard and mouse can also be connected when preferred.
Technical Specifications
View the detailed technical specifications for the PhotonMetra P100.