Anomalous diffraction approximation method for retrieval of spherical and spheroidal particle size distributions in total light scattering

Using total light scattering technique to measure the particle size distribution has advantages of simplicity in measurement principle and convenience in the optical arrangement. However, the calculation of extinction efficiency based on Mie theory for a spherical particle is expensive in both time and resources. Thus, a simple but accurate approximation formula for the exact extinction efficiency may be very desirable. The accuracy and limitations of using the anomalous diffraction approximation (ADA) method for calculating the extinction efficiency of a spherical particle are investigated. Meanwhile, the monomodal and bimodal particle size distributions of spherical particles are retrieved using the genetic algorithm in the dependent model. Furthermore, the spheroidal model in the retrieval of non-spherical particle size distribution is also discussed, which verifies the non-sphericity has a significant effect on the retrieval of particle size distribution compared with the assumed homogeneous isotropic sphere. Both numerical computer simulations and experimental results illustrate that the ADA can be successfully applied to retrieve the particle size distributions for spherical and spheroidal particles with high stability even in the presence of random noise. The method has advantages of simplicity, rapidity, and suitability for in-line particle size measurement.