The Kubelka-Munk theory,

applications and modifications

Frédéric P.-A. Cortat

December 19, 2003

1
 Overview

• Derivation of K-M equations

• Nature of K and S coefficients
• Applications and problems
• Revised K-M theory
• Applications and results

2
The Kubelka-Munk theory

3
 Reflectance of layer on substrate

R0 and T are reflectance and transmittance of

layer. Set reflectance of substrate to Rg .
Upward flux:

Jg = (I · T + Jg · R0 ) · Rg

Reflectance of layer:
I · R0 + Jg · T T 2 · Rg
R= = R0 +
I 1 − Rg · R0
R0 is reflectance of sample over ideally black
background (Rg = 0).

4
 Reflectance of thin layer in medium

Reflectance and transmittance of layer are r0

and t. Therefore absorption is
a = 1 − r0 − t
Change in i and j going from the n-th to the
n + 1-th layer
µ ¶
1 r0
in+1 − in = − 1 · in − · jn
t t
µ 2
¶
r r0
jn+1 − jn = t − 1 − 0 · jn + · in
t t
Assumption 1: r0 and t are the same for i and
j flux. Correct ⇔ angular distribution of
intensities are both equal.

5
 Reflectance of continuous medium

Assumption 2: sample may be treated as

continuous medium.
Define ”scattering” coefficient S and
”absorption” coefficient K:
r0 dR0
S = lim =
d→0 d dx
a dT dR0
K = lim = − −
d→0 d dx dx
Taking limit d → 0 leads to K-M differential
equations
di
= −(K + S) · i + S · j
dx
dj
= (K + S) · j − S · i
dx

6
 Reflectance and transmittance values

Reflectance of infinite thick layer:

p
2 2
1 + r0 − t − (1 + r02 − t2 )2 − 4r02
R∞ =
2r0
sµ ¶2
K K
≡1+ − 1+ −1
S S
Solving K-M equations gives I and J, and
therefore
sinh(Z)
R0 =
α · sinh(Z) + β · cosh(Z)
β
T =
α · sinh(Z) + β · cosh(Z)
p
Z = K(K + 2S) · X

K √
where α := 1 + , β := a2 − 1.
S
1
R∞ = α − β =
α+β

7
 The K-M coefficients K and S

K and S are defined in terms of transmittance

and reflectance of thin layer. Separate model
required to relate K and S to fundamental
optical properties of material: absorption (ε)
and scattering (σ) coefficients per unit path
length.
Fractions absorbed and scattered over
infinitesimal distance du are ε · du and σ · du.
For incident ray at angle θ, du = dx/cos(θ).
For diffuse light, average path length is integral
over angular distribution θ ∈ [0, 2π]:

⇒ K =2·ε

Assume light isotropically scattered. Only half

is scattered in upper half and contribute to
reflectance:
⇒ S=σ

8
Applications of the K-M theory

9
 Theory at test: predicted values of R∞

Checking accuracy of K-M theory is difficult

because of restrictions imposed during
derivations.
Test conducted on values of R∞ : exact
agreement only for R∞ = 1 or R∞ = 0. Else
error as large as 8%.

Albedo: a := σ/(σ + ε)
Large discrepancy disappointing and
unexplained.

10
Improving the theory: modify K and S

Idea: separate K and S for forward (Ki , Si )

and reverse (Kj , Sj ) flux. Multi-flux analysis
shows that angular distribution is indeed not
the same, even for ideal diffuse illumination
and isotropic scattering.
Result: coefficients can still be combined into a
single pair: K = 2 · ε , S = 0.75 · σ.
Experiments showed that this is correct only
for weakly absorbing samples. For more
absorbing samples, both ratios K/ε and S/σ
depend on ε and σ. This is in direct
disagreement with K-M theory.

11
Mathematical treatment of print-through

Print-through conventionally defined by

G = log(R∞ /RG )

where R∞ is intrinsic reflectance of paper and

RG is reflectance factor of reverse side of print
with opaque pad of paper as background.
Print-through can be divided into components
representing show through if no ink
penetration, contribution of ink penetration,
and effect of oil separation from ink that
reduces opacity of paper.

G = GL + GP + GS
= log(R∞ /RA ) + log(RA /RQ ) + log(RQ /RG )

RQ can be easily measured. What about RA ?

12
Mathematical treatment of print-through

13
Mathematical treatment of print-through

Idea: RA = RX , the reflectance value of a

single sheet of unprinted paper placed over
printed surface.
RX is given by K-M theory:
³ ´
1
R0 + Rg − R0 · Rg R∞ + R∞
R=
1 − R0 · Rg
³ ´
1
R0 + RP − R0 · RP R∞ + R∞
⇒ RX =
1 − R0 · RP

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 Math. treatment of ink penetration

Penetration depth Wp with respect to paper

grammage.
Wp ln(B0 /BZ ) 1 − Ri · R∞
= , Bi :=
W ln(B0 ) 1 − Ri /R∞
K-M theory:
µ ¶
B 1
2b · S · W = ln , 2b := − R∞
Bg R∞
RX for sheet with thickness W against
background RP ; RQ : thickness (W − WP )
against background RP .
µ ¶ µ ¶
BX BQ
2b·S·W = ln , 2b·S(W −WP ) = ln
BP BP

Wp ln(BX /BQ ) ln(B0 · BP /BQ )

= =
W ln(BX /BP ) ln(B0 )
Confirmed by computer simulations.

15
The revised Kubelka-Munk theory

16
 Revised Kubelka-Munk theory

K-M theory successful and widely used in

industry. Nevertheless unable to explain some
findings ⇒ modifications necessary.
Motivations:
• K-M theory best for low absorption. Not
good at high absorption.
• Many restrictions/assumptions made
during derivation
• K and S coefficients have no physical
meaning

17
 Light propagation in media

Mean path length free from absorption, resp

1 1
scattering: la (λ) := ε(λ) , ls (λ) := σ(λ) .
Overall photon path:
N
X
la = hli = h|r~n |i = N · ls
n=1

Mean square scattering distance:

N X
X N N
X
~ 2i =
hR hr~m · r~n i = hr~n 2 i = N · ls2
m=1 n=1 n=1
q p
R= ~ 2i =
h|R| la · ls

18
 Light propagation in media

Ratio between total path length and length of

corresponding displacement:
r r
la la σ
µ := = = >1
R ls ε
Including wave length dependence:
q
 σ(λ) σ(λ) > ε(λ)
ε(λ)
µ=
 1 otherwise

Because light absorption by the media

depends on wavelength, µ can vary significantly
(even for constant scattering).
In original K-M theory, scattering induced path
variation was ignored: la = R ⇒ µ = 1.

19
 Modified K-M equations

Average path length traversed by light going

downward (upward defined similarly):

Zπ/2
1 ∂I dφ
hdliI = µ · dz =: µ · αI · dz
I ∂φ cos(φ)
0

Diffuse light: αI = 2. Collimated: αI = 1.

Intensity variation after passing through dz:

(ε + σ) · I · hdliI = µ · (ε + σ) · I · αI · dz

New differential equations:

dI
= −µ · αI · (ε + σ) · I + µ · αJ · σ · J
dz
dJ
= µ · αJ · (ε + σ) · J − µ · αI · σ · I
dz

20
 New K and S coefficients

For αI = αJ = α, new differential equations

reduce to original K-M equations iff
µ·α·σ
k =µ·α·ε , s=
2
For diffuse light: k = 2µ · ε , s = µ · σ.
k and s depend on µ, itself depending on ε, σ
and λ:
( √
α σ·ε σ(λ) > ε(λ)
k =µ·α·ε=
α·ε otherwise
 q
µ·α·σ  α σ3 σ(λ) > ε(λ)
s= = 2 ε
2  α·σ
otherwise
2

k and s will change depending upon variations

in ε and σ ⇒ they are no proper
representations of material properties.

21
Original K-M theory vs. revised theory

• K-M theory is particular case of revised

theory
• In original K-M theory, k and s coefficients
are not physical quantities
• In revised theory, k and s are linked
elegantly to fundamental properties of the
material
• Revised theory has broader range of
validity

22
Applications of the revised K-M theory

23
 Application I: inks

Dye-based ink, subject to little scattering.

Measurements → compute K-M scattering and
absorption powers → deduce µ → compute ε
and σ.

24
 Application II: paper

Single sheet of paper, subject to strong

scattering.

25
 Application III: dyed paper

Assumptions: σp , εp and zp for dyed paper

remain unchanged.
Additivity law:

εip · zp = ρ · εi · zi + εp · zp
σip · zp = ρ · σi · zi + σp · zp

K-M theory gives for k and s powers:

kip · zp = ρ · ki · zi + kp · zp
sip · zp = ρ · si · zi + sp · zp

Revised theory:
µip αip µip αip
kip · zp = ρ ki · zi + kp · zp
µi αi µp αp
µip αip µip αip
sip · zp = ρ si · zi + sp · zp
µi αi µp αp
µip µip
K-M theory is special case µi = µp = 1.

26
 Application III: dyed paper

K-M theory: scattering dominated by paper.

Revised K-M theory: scattering dominated by
paper, but influence of µ factor:
µip
sip · zp ≈ sp · zp
µp
s
σp (λ) · zp
µip (λ) ≈
ρ · εi (λ) · zi + εp (λ) · zp
εi À εp ⇒ ρ > 0 lowers µip .
Revised K-M theory accounts for drop of
scattering. Agree with experimental
observations.

27
 Application III: dyed paper

K-M theory: absorption power increases

linearly with ink concentration.
Revised K-M theory: absorption dominated by
ink, but influence of µ factor:
µip
kip · zp ≈ ρ ki · zi
µi
µ
µip depends on σp ⇒ µipi À 1 ⇒ absorbing
power of dyed paper larger than that of ink.
Confirmed by measurements.

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