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Lusters of renaissance pottery: Experimental and theoretical optical properties using inhomogeneous theories

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Abstract

Luster decoration of medieval and renaissance potteries constitutes one of the most important and sophisticated decoration techniques of the Mediterranean basin. Lusters consist in a thin layer of silver and copper nanocrystals immersed in a dielectric matrix. Different physical phenomena are responsible for the very brilliant and complex colored effect produced by the lusters. On one hand, according to the thickness of the thin layer, interferential effects occur giving rise to a classical iridescent effect. On the other hand, the nanostructure of the metallic compound leads to extra absorption, generally observed in the visible or near infrared, due to an external resonance associated with the excitation of a surface plasmon in the metallic particles. The position of this resonance, and so the color of the film, depends from many parameters, mainly: (1) the relative volume fraction p of the metal inclusions. (2) The mean size of the metal particle. (3) The shape of the particles and (4) the dielectric functions of the constituents. These two phenomena are not independent as the second one greatly affects the dielectric function of the film and, thus, its optical thickness.

In this paper, the physical and optical properties of various lusters from Deruta and Gubbio (Italy) of the XVI century are presented. The structure and the composition of the different films have been determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), ion beam analyses (PIXE and RBS) and low incidence X-ray diffraction. The optical properties have been determined by two different techniques: (a) hemispherical spectroscopic measurements under near-normal incidence; (b) gonioscopic measurements for a given angle of incidence and wavelength. The first one allows the determination of the effective index of refraction of the inhomogeneous layer, and the second one the determination of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the material.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut des Nanosciences de Paris, 140 rue de Lourmel, 75015, Paris, France

    S. Berthier, E. Charron & V. Reillon

  2. Instituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati – CNR, Via Salaria Km. 29,5, c.p. 10 Monterotondo Staz., 00016, Monterotondo (Roma), Italy

    G. Padeletti & P. Fermo

  3. Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France, Palais du Louvre – Porte des Lions, 14 quai François Mitterrand, 75001, Paris, France

    A. Bouquillon & M. Aucouturier

Authors
  1. S. Berthier
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  2. G. Padeletti
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  3. P. Fermo
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  4. A. Bouquillon
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  5. M. Aucouturier
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  6. E. Charron
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  7. V. Reillon
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Correspondence to S. Berthier.

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PACS

68.55.N; 61.46

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Berthier, S., Padeletti, G., Fermo, P. et al. Lusters of renaissance pottery: Experimental and theoretical optical properties using inhomogeneous theories. Appl. Phys. A 83, 573–579 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3526-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3526-z

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