Abstract

Scattering of light from rough dielectric films is studied experimentally. It is shown that the interference pattern of the scattered field depends critically on the power spectrum of the roughness, especially on its long-scale component. When the height of roughness is small compared with the wavelength, the backscattering peak (if it exists) is due to the interference of the singly scattered fields; hence the properties of the backscattered peak are rather unusual. In particular, the width of the peak is determined by the thickness of the film and is independent of the parameters of disorder. The intensity of the peak increases with an increase of the rms height of the surface roughness and becomes independent of the rms when the roughness is of the order of the wavelength.

© 2004 Optical Society of America

Interference in light scattering from slightly rough dielectric layers

Yu. S. Kaganovskii, V. D. Freilikher, E. Kanzieper, Y. Nafcha, and M. Rosenbluh
Opt. Lett. 23(5) 316-318 (1998)

Light scattering from slightly rough dielectric films

Yu. S. Kaganovskii, V. D. Freilikher, E. Kanzieper, Y. Nafcha, M. Rosenbluh, and I. M. Fuks
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 16(2) 331-338 (1999)

Scattering of light from a rough dielectric film on a reflecting substrate: diffuse fringes

Jun Q. Lu, José A. Sánchez-Gil, E. R. Méndez, Zu-Han Gu, and A. A. Maradudin
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 15(1) 185-195 (1998)

Enhanced backscattering at grazing angles

Zu-Han Gu, I. M. Fuks, and Mikael Ciftan
Opt. Lett. 27(23) 2067-2069 (2002)

Enhanced backscattering from a rough dielectric film on a reflecting substrate

Jun Q. Lu, A. A. Maradudin, and T. Michel
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 8(2) 311-318 (1991)