Abstract
An experimental examination of the reflection of polarised light (ŝ & p; λ= 633 nm)from surfaces which have a significant specular component is presented. The reflected light intensity is measured using a detector with a narrow acceptance angle (0.50) and it is found, for a number of different surfaces based on coated paper, that as the detector scans through the angular distribution, the ratio of polarised light intensities (R~RS) changes in a systematic way which can be accurately predicted if the surface is modelled as an array of mirror-like facets each with the same refractive index, distributed in and around the mean plane of the coating. The change in the ratio R~RS with detector position is independent of the angular distribution of the facets and depends only on the refractive index of the surface.
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