Abstract

Anisotropy in the polarization of the backscattered light from a polarized laser beam incident upon a scattering medium has been observed experimentally. When the beam is viewed through an oriented polarizer, characteristic patterns in the backscattered light are observed. We present here a simple explanation of these patterns, using the theory of incoherent scattering of light by spheres. It appears that the major contribution to the observed patterns comes from the double scattering of light.

© 1998 Optical Society of America

Light backscattering polarization patterns from turbid media: theory and experiment

Milun J. Raković, George W. Kattawar, Mehrűbe Mehrűbeoğlu, Brent D. Cameron, Lihong V. Wang, Sohi Rastegar, and Gerard L. Coté
Appl. Opt. 38(15) 3399-3408 (1999)

Influence of particle size and concentration on the diffuse backscattering of polarized light from tissue phantoms and biological cell suspensions

Andreas H. Hielscher, Judith R. Mourant, and Irving J. Bigio
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Measurement and calculation of the two-dimensional backscattering Mueller matrix of a turbid medium

Brent D. Cameron, M. J. Raković, Mehrübe Mehrübeoǧlu, George W. Kattawar, Sohi Rastegar, Lihong V. Wang, and Gerard L. Coté
Opt. Lett. 23(7) 485-487 (1998)

Anisotropic scattering of light in random media: incoherent backscattered spotlight

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Backscatter linear and circular polarization analysis of roughened aluminum

Gareth D. Lewis, David L. Jordan, and Eric Jakeman
Appl. Opt. 37(25) 5985-5992 (1998)