Using optical coherence tomography to characterize thick-glaze structure: Chinese Southern Song Guan glaze case study

摘要

This study explores the structure characteristics of thick glaze, in terms of the case study of Chinese Southern Song Guan (SSG) ware, focusing on the bubble and its media structure, using a novel focus-tracking optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The OCT images we obtained not only unveil the structural uniqueness of the thick-glaze SSG sample, but also establish a distinguishable structural pattern for aiding authentication. In addition, information revealed in our images provides a logical explanation for the subtle texture and tone of SSG glaze as well as insights into the technologies used in layering and firing these thick glazes.