Coherent backscattering of light in nematic liquid crystals

Multiple light scattering by director fluctuations in nematic liquid crystals is considered. A uniform director orientation is assumed to be specified by an applied magnetic field. The coherent backscattering effect, which consists in the presence of a sharp light backscattering peak, is studied. The Bethe-Salpeter equation is used to calculate the multiple scattering intensity taking into account the contributions of ladder and cyclic diagrams. An analytical expression for the angular and polarization dependences of the coherent backscattering intensity is obtained in terms of the diffusion approximation. The calculation and experimental results are compared. The developed theory is shown to qualitatively describe the elliptical shape of the backscattering cone, to explain the absence of a coherent contribution for crossed polarizations, and to calculate the relative peak height.     

Effect of external field on coherent backscattering in nematics

For a one-elastic-constant model of nematic liquid crystal the optical theorem is shown to produce an explicit relationship between the scattering length of extraordinary wave mode and magnetic coherence length. The Monte Carlo simulation of coherent backscattering is performed accounting for the long-range orientational fluctuations and scattering length anisotropy; the coherent backscattering peak is shown to change quite weakly while the magnetic field varies several orders.     

Coherent effects in multiple scattering of linearly polarized light

Comparing the stochastic Monte Carlo technique with the iteration procedure for solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation in the framework of numerical simulation, the time correlation function and the interference component of the coherent backscattering of a linearly polarized light wave in a multiply scattering medium are calculated. The results of the simulation agree well with theoretical results obtained by generalizing the Milne solution, as well as with experimental data.     

Stochastic modeling of coherent phenomena in strongly inhomogeneous media

A procedure of numerical simulation for coherent phenomena in multiply scattering media is developed on the basis of the juxtaposition of a Monte Carlo stochastic method with an iterative approach to the solution of the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The time correlation function and the interference component of coherent backscattering are calculated for scalar and electromagnetic fields. The results of simulation are in good agreement with experimental results, as well as with theoretical results obtained by generalizing the Milne solution.     

Coherent backscattering in nematic liquid crystals in an external magnetic field

We consider multiple light scattering in a nematic liquid crystal. Using the Monte Carlo method, we calculate for the first time the effect of a magnetic field on the shape of the peak of coherent backscattering taking into account the long-range action of fluctuations of the orientational order and anisotropy of the scattering length. For a small number of initial and final scattering events, we take into account the ordinary mode of light, which is weakly scattered in a nematic liquid crystal (NLC), whereas a strongly scattered extraordinary mode is taken into account for all scattering events. For simplicity, we use a single-constant approximation of the NLC elastic moduli. We show that the angular shape of the peak of coherent backscattering remains nearly unchanged, whereas the magnetic field and the scattering phase function vary by several orders of magnitude.     

Weak localization effects in the second-harmonic light scattered by random systems of particles

We report rigorous numerical simulations that show the presence of coherent backscattering effects in the second-harmonic generation and scattering of light by random systems of two-dimensional particles. Since the medium composing the particles is assumed to be homogeneous and isotropic, the second-harmonic field is generated mainly by surface effects. For the fundamental frequency, the results present a clear enhanced backscattering peak. In contrast, the second-harmonic scattering patterns present an intensity dip in the backscattering direction.     

Interference effects in backscattering of light by a layer of a discrete random medium

Multiple backscattering of light by a layer of a discrete random medium is considered. A brief derivation of equations for describing the coherent and incoherent components of scattered light is presented. These equations are solved numerically in the approximation of doubled scattering of light by a semi-infinite medium of spherical scatterers having a size comparable with the wavelength in order to study the effect of the properties of particles on the angular dependence of interference effects. Calculations show that the half-width of the interference peak decreases upon an increase in lateral scattering by particles and that the degree of polarization has a complex angular dependence on the properties of the particles. For an optically thin layer of the medium, the relations defining the interference peak half-width and the scattering angle upon extreme linear polarization as functions of the effective refractive index are given.     

Effects of nondiffusive wave propagation upon coherent backscattering by turbid media

The nondiffusive contribution to the coherent backscattering intensity is calculated for the media with relatively large particles (size a is greater than wavelength λ). The results are in good agreement with the experimental data at the wings of the angular spectrum of the coherent backscattering. The shape of the backscattering peak is analyzed for strongly absorbing media. The correlation function of the intensity fluctuations is calculated for the scattering by Brownian particles at relatively large time shifts.     

Coherent backscattering of light by complex random media of spherical scatterers: numerical solution

Novel Monte Carlo techniques are described for the computation of reflection coefficient matrices for multiple scattering of light in plane-parallel random media of spherical scatterers. The present multiple scattering theory is composed of coherent backscattering and radiative transfer. In the radiative transfer part, the Stokes parameters of light escaping from the medium are updated at each scattering process in predefined angles of emergence. The scattering directions at each process are randomized using probability densities for the polar and azimuthal scattering angles: the former angle is generated using the single-scattering phase function, whereafter the latter follows from Kepler's equation. For spherical scatterers in the Rayleigh regime, randomization proceeds semi-analytically whereas, beyond that regime, cubic spline presentation of the scattering matrix is used for numerical computations. In the coherent backscattering part, the reciprocity of electromagnetic waves in the backscattering direction allows the renormalization of the reversely propagating waves, whereafter the scattering characteristics are computed in other directions. High orders of scattering (~10 000) can be treated because of the peculiar polarization characteristics of the reverse wave: after a number of scatterings, the polarization state of the reverse wave becomes independent of that of the incident wave, that is, it becomes fully dictated by the scatterings at the end of the reverse path. The coherent backscattering part depends on the single-scattering albedo in a non-monotonous way, the most pronounced signatures showing up for absorbing scatterers. The numerical results compare favourably to the literature results for nonabsorbing spherical scatterers both in and beyond the Rayleigh regime.     

Comparison between experimental and 2-D numerical studies of multiple scattering in Inconel600® by means of array probes

Ultrasonic non-destructive testing of polycrystalline structures can be disturbed by scattering at grain boundaries. Understanding and modeling this so-called “structural noise” is crucial for characterization as well as detection purposes. Structural noise can be considered as a fingerprint of the material under investigation, since it contains information about its microstructure. The interpretation of experimental data necessitates an accurate comprehension of complex phenomena that occur in multiple scattering media and thus robust scattering models. In particular, numerical models can offer the opportunity to realize parametrical studies on controlled microstructures. However, the ability of the model to simulate wave propagation in complex media must be validated. In that perspective, the main objective of the present work is to evaluate the ability of the finite-element code ATHENA 2D to reproduce typical features of multiple wave scattering in the context of ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation, with an array of sources and receivers. Experiments were carried out with a 64-element array, around 2 MHz. The sample was a mock-up of Inconel600® exhibiting a coarse grain structure with a known grain size distribution. The numerical model of this microstructure is based on Voronoi diagrams. Two physical parameters were used to compare numerical and experimental data: the coherent backscattering peak, and the singular value distribution of the array response matrix. Though the simulations are 2-D, a good agreement was found between simulated and experimental data.     

Nonlinear coherent transport of waves in disordered media

We present a diagrammatic theory for coherent backscattering from disordered dilute media in the nonlinear regime. We show that the coherent backscattering enhancement factor is strongly affected by the nonlinearity, and we corroborate these results by numerical simulations. Our theory can be applied to several physical scenarios such as scattering of light in a nonlinear Kerr medium or propagation of matter waves in disordered potentials.     

Approximate calculation of coherent backscattering for semi-infinite discrete random media

We describe an approximate method for the calculation of all characteristics of coherent backscattering for a homogeneous, semi-infinite particulate medium. The method allows one to transform a system of integral equations describing coherent backscattering exactly into a system of linear algebraic equations affording an efficient numerical solution. Comparisons of approximate theoretical results with experimental data as well as with benchmark numerical results for a medium composed of nonabsorbing Rayleigh scatterers have shown that the method can be expected to give a good accuracy.     

Anomalous polarization effects during light scattering in random media

The dependence of the intensity of light backscattered from a layer of a randomly inhomogeneous medium on the polarization of incident light and the size of scatterers has been investigated. The results of numerical simulation have demonstrated that the direction of rotation of the plane of polarization is different in systems with small- and large-scale inhomogeneities. It is shown for the first time that the dependence of the sign of the residual circular polarization on the size of scatterers can be observed in systems described by the Henyey-Greenstein phase function used in simulating biological tissues. A similar anomalous polarization effect, which consists in changing the direction of rotation of the plane of polarization of backscattered light with an increase in the scattering angle, is revealed in studying the coherent backscattering component. These polarization effects are observed in light backscattering from optically active media.     

Coherent effects of multiple scattering for scalar and electromagnetic fields: Monte-Carlo simulation and Milne-like solutions

Based on an expansion of the Bethe-Salpeter equation in scattering orders a semi-analytic approach for simulation of coherent phenomena of multiple scattering in random media has been developed. We found that for scalar field the manifestation of these phenomena, observed as temporal field correlation function and coherent backscattering, are universal and well agreed with the results predicted by diffusion approximation. For the electromagnetic field the temporal correlation function and coherent backscattering are noticeably differ from those found for the scalar field, depending strongly on the scattering anisotropy. The obtained numerical results, for the first time to our knowledge, are compared directly with the known generalizations of the Milne solution.     

Enhanced backscattering of vortex waves from volume scattering media

The effect of phase vortices on the enhanced coherent backscattering from volume scattering media is studied theoretically and experimentally. The experimental results are well described by a theoretical model based on the diffusion approximation corrected for small path lengths contributions. Based on this approach, a self-referencing method for measuring the optical characteristics of a multiple scattering medium can be developed.     

气泡浓度对海洋激光雷达后向散射特性的影响

对不同浓度气泡幕水下激光雷达的后向散射特性进行了理论分析和实验研究。实验结果表明：由于水中气泡群后向散射的原因,在水下激光雷达整体后向散射信号的回波曲线上,除了水体后向散射导致的信号峰以外,还出现因气泡散射而导致的散射峰,该散射峰叠加在水体的后向散射信号峰上,其位置与水中气泡幕的位置直接相关,而其幅值则受气泡幕的浓度影响。随着气泡幕浓度的增大,其后向散射峰幅值相应增大,这一点与理论分析结果一致,而回波峰值的变化趋势则主要受水体质量的影响。     

群聚球形粒子极化散射的T矩阵数值模拟

对于不小于波长或可与波长相比的大粒子集合性的相干散射,要求严格求解多次散射的Maxwel方程。作者利用多个粒子多次散射的严格的T矩阵公式,发展了数值模似算法,求出非均匀群聚分布的球形粒子相干极化散射在全方位上的数值结果,研究了群聚粒子相干极化散射的特征表现,并与双球粒子散射的实验结果作了很好的比较。     

Accuracy enhancement in Brillouin scattering distributed temperature sensor based on Hilbert transform

The scattering optical signal of OTDR based Brillouin scattering distributed sensor is very weak and have a frequency width of several decades megahertz, so it is hard to perform the traditional analogue coherent demodulation. A novel optical coherent detection based on Hilbert transform is presented here. In detail, Brillouin backscattering light is coherent detected with the reference light, which is modulated by microwave electric optical modulator to produce frequency-adjustable light, then the detected photocurrent signal is demodulated by digital signal processing based on Hilbert transform, and at last the distributed sensing signal with better S/N ratio is gained, which can enhance the performance of the sensor. The simulation and experimental results of the detection method are given.