Theory of light scattering from rough surfaces and interfaces and from volume inhomogeneities in an optical layer stack

A theoretical method is described for calculating the bidirectional scattering characteristic for any given thin-film multilayer geometry in which the surfaces and interfaces are assumed to be rough, and where statistical inhomogeneities in the optical permittivities may also exist in each layer. The light energy scattered in any direction depends on geometrical thickness, the permittivities of the ideal layer stack and also on the corresponding auto- and cross-correlation functions. The expressions that are obtained for the scattered field are completely general in the sense of the Born approximation of first order in the imperfections and the exciting fields. The contributions of interface and volume scattering can be assumed arbitrarily because both are derived in a unique way. The main new result consists in the occurrence of four different possibilities of coupling between the scattered and exciting waves due to the standing wave character of both light waves. It is easy to show that the case of a columnar structure reduces the theoretical effort and leads to a similarity of this volume case to that of normal interface scattering. The matrix formalism used in analogy to the normal calculations of reflection and transmission coefficients allows a simple physical interpretation of the light propagation through the layer system and straightforward numerical calculations.     

Evaluation of light scattering in attenuated total reflection configuration

A theoretical investigation of light scattering in first-order Born approximation in order to analyse the different scattering sources is presented for the case of the so-called Kretschmann attenuated total reflection (ATR) configuration. This three-layer system consists of a high permittivity superstrate acting as a prism, a thin metallic layer and air as substrate. The interesting aspect of this system is the occurrence of a resonance for both the exciting and the scattered light caused by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the metal-air interface. The scattered light will be calculated under the assumption of different illumination and detection conditions. The scattering contributions are assumed to be caused by the roughness of both interfaces and the volume inhomogeneities in the metallic layer. The calculated curves show the principal possibility of analysing the different scattering sources by an appropriate experimental strategy.     

Scattering of solitary waves from interfaces in granular media

The scattering of nonlinear solitary waves from an interface is numerically studied in detail. The interface is created by joining two one-dimensional chains of spherical beads of different radii (masses). Beads are assumed to be in Hertzian contact, without static precompression, and to have identical mechanical properties. In addition to previous findings, it is observed that in both cases, when a solitary wave travels from the light to the heavy system and vice versa, secondary multipulse structures are generated at the interface, being backscattered and forward scattered, respectively.     

Effect of turning of rays on scattering of light in a layered medium

The problem of the scattering of light by random inhomogeneities in a layered medium whose characteristic scale is large compared to the wavelength of light is considered. The attention is mainly focused on the effect that the turning of incident and scattered waves has on light scattering in such a medium. In the mixed (q _⊥, z) Fourier representation, expressions for normal waves, and Green’s function are found, which can be used both far from the turning point, where the fields are described in the WKB approximation, and near this point, where the fields are described using the Airy function. Based on these expressions and using the Kirchhoff method, a general expression for the scattering intensity in the far field of the sample is obtained, which takes into account the turning of the incident and scattered waves in the fluctuating medium. Physical consequences of the calculation results are analyzed. In particular, it is shown that even a comparatively small gradient of the refractive index in the layer leads to a rather appreciable redistribution of the scattering intensity between the forward and backward hemispheres. In this case, the shape of the scattering indicatrix is rather exotic with sharp discontinuities, peaks, and dips whose amplitude is on the order of the intensity itself. Original Russian Text ? A.Yu. Val’kov, A.A. Zhukov, V.P. Romanov, 2008, published in Optika i Spektroskopiya, 2008, Vol. 105, No. 4, pp. 647–666.     

Electromagnetic wave scattering from a random medium layer with a random interface

Abstract

The problem of electromagnetic wave scattering from a random medium layer with a random interface is considered. The layer has planar boundaries on average. Assuming that both the random perturbations of the interface and the random fluctuations of permittivity of the medium are small, a first-order perturbation solution to the scattered field is obtained. Using this solution, the bistatic scattering coefficients γ_αβ are calculated and expressed in a compact and meaningful form. The various terms that constitute γ_αβ are identified with distinct scattering processes. Since it is often of particular interest, the special case of backscattering is considered. Finally, the results are compared with those of others.     

A two-scale model from the point of view of the small-slope approximation

Abstract

General results for the scattering cross section following from the small-slope approximation (SSA) are applied to the case of two-scale surface roughness which can be represented as a superposition of small-scale and large-scale components. The purpose of the paper is to obtain analytically tractable results with obvious physical meaning which can be used for estimates prior to undertaking extensive numerical calculations according to exact unambiguous expressions of the SSA. The general case of vector (electromagnetic) or scalar (sound) waves is considered. The statistics of small-scale roughness is not assumed to be Gaussian (in any sense) or space-homogeneous, and the possible dependence of the statistics of small-scale roughness on a large-scale undulating surface is taken into account. As a result, a modified local spectrum of small-scale components of roughness enters into corresponding expressions for the scattering cross section. It is demonstrated that under appropriate conditions, the resulting formulae for the scattering cross section reduce to the conventional two-scale model.     

Coherent transmission and angular structure of light scattering by monolayer films of polymer dispersed liquid crystals with inhomogeneous boundary conditions

We consider monolayer polymer films with oriented droplets of a nematic liquid crystal (LC). Relations for the coherent transmission coefficients of a layer of oriented ellipsoidal droplets and for the intensity of light scattered by monolayers of spherical and spheroidal droplets have been obtained. The amplitude-phase screen model and the interference approximation of the theory of multiple wave scattering have been used. To describe light scattering by an individual ellipsoidal droplet with inhomogeneous surface binding, we have developed an anomalous diffraction approximation. For monolayers of spherical LC droplets, the coherent scattering coefficients and the angular scattering structure have been analyzed. The internal structure of nematic droplets have been calculated by the relaxation method based on the solution of the minimization problem of the free energy volume density. We have studied basic regular features of light scattering by a monolayer with homogeneous and inhomogeneous boundary conditions at the LC-polymer interface. We show that, for films that contain droplets with inhomogeneous boundary conditions of the tangentially normal type, the angular structure of the scattered light is asymmetric with respect to the polar scattering angle.     

Polarization correlations in two-dimensional random media

Abstract

Second-order polarization correlation functions, both theoretical and experimental, are presented for optical waves propagating through a highly random multiple-scattering two-dimensional (2D) medium. For normal incidence and scattering, a 2D medium is found to be fully described by two material parameters, one of which is complex. Simple formulae are developed for these parameters in terms of the anisotropy of the medium and the scattering mean free path. General theoretical expressions are given for polarized and unpolarized correlation functions and also for the intensity statistics of the scattered light for arbitrary input polarization states. Experimental data are presented for both types of correlation function and for the intensity statistics, and are found to be in reasonably good agreement with the theory.     

Resonant Mandelstam-Brillouin light scattering and Raman scattering in semiconductors with intermediate exciton states belonging to discrete exciton bands and the continuous spectrum

The results of a theoretical and experimental investigation of resonant Mandelstam-Brillouin light scattering by thermal acoustic phonons with k=0 near the direct absorption edge (in the case of ZnSe crystals) are analyzed. The appearance of a new type of resonant increase in the intensity of Raman scattering by optical phonons with k≠0, which corresponds to resonance with the scattered light in the output channel, near the indirect absorption edge (in the case of semi-insulating GaP:N crystals) is also reported. The resonant gain reaches ∼4×10³ at frequencies corresponding to overtone scattering assisted by LO(X) and LO(L) phonons. Exciton states belonging to both discrete exciton bands and to the continuous spectrum are considered as the intermediate states involved in the scattering processes in calculations of the resonant scattering tensors. In addition, all the intraband transitions, as well as the interband transitions between the conduction band, the valence bands, and the spin-orbit split-off band are taken into account, and good agreement with the experimental results is obtained. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 938–940 (May 1998)     

Coherent backscattering of light by a layer of discrete random medium

We consider the problem of backscattering of light by a layer of discrete random medium illuminated by an obliquely incident plane electromagnetic wave. The multiply scattered reflected radiation is assumed to consist of incoherent and coherent parts, the coherent part being caused by the interference of multiply scattered waves. Formulas describing the characteristics of the reflected radiation are derived assuming that the scattering particles are spherical. The formula for the incoherent contribution reproduces the standard vector radiative transfer equation. The interference contribution is expressed in terms of a system of Fredholm integral equations with kernels containing Bessel functions. The special case of the backscattering direction is considered in detail. It is shown that the angular width of the backscattering interference peak depends on the polar angle of the incident wave and on the azimuth angle of the reflection direction.     

Scattering of electromagnetic wave by perfect electromagnetic conductor (PEMC) sphere placed in chiral media

A theoretical investigation has been carried out for electromagnetic waves scattering from a perfect electromagnetic conductor (PEMC) sphere which is placed in chiral media. The formulation of the problem is realized by expanding the incident as well as the scattered electromagnetic fields in terms of left circularly polarized (LCP) and right circularly polarized (RCP) waves. By applying the boundary conditions at the chiral-PEMC interface, eight simultaneous equations are generated, which yield the scattering coefficients associated with the Left and Right electromagnetic waves. The relative contribution of Co-polarized and Cross-polarized components of fields to the calculations of scattering cross-section is presented. The effect of admittance parameter and the effect of chirality parameter in cases of lossless, lossy permittivity and lossy permeability on Co and Cross components of scattering cross sections are observed. The results are also compared with available published literatures which are in good agreement.     

Scattering from a layer of discrete random medium over a random interface: application to microwave backscattering from forests

Abstract

The distorted Born approximation is used to calculate the bistatic scattering coefficients from a layer of sparsely distributed discrete dielectric scatterers over a random interface. After specializing to the backscatter case, the scattering coefficient is determined as a sum of direct, direct reflected and interface scatter contributions. The direct reflected term contains contributions from the average interface and the interface fluctuations. These direct reflected terms include both incoherent and coherent or enhancement terms. The results are applied to backscattering from a mature hemlock forest over a roughened ground. The model results show that the direct reflected surface fluctuation terms give the dominant contribution to backscatter at P band and are equal in magnitude to the volume scatter at L band. Use of these new results brings the model predictions and experimental results into agreement.     

X-ray scattering from a randomly rough surface

Abstract

On the basis of the method of reduced Rayleigh equations we present a simple and reciprocal theory of the coherent and incoherent scattering of x-rays from one- and two-dimensional randomly rough surfaces, that appears to be free from the limitations of earlier theories of such scattering based on the Born and distorted-wave Born approximations. In our approach, the reduced Rayleigh equation for the scattering amplitude(s) is solved perturbatively, with the small parameter of the theory η(ω) = 1 - ε(ω), where ε(ω) is the dielectric function of the scattering medium. The magnitude of η(ω) for x-rays is in the range from 10^?6 to 10^?3, depending on the wavelength of the x-rays. The contributions to the mean differential reflection coefficient from the coherent and incoherent components of the scattered x-rays are calculated through terms of second order in η(ω). The resulting expressions are valid to all orders in the surface profile function. The results for the incoherent scattering display a Yoneda peak when the scattering angle equals the critical angle for total internal reflection from the vacuum-scattering medium interface for a fixed angle of incidence, and when the angle of incidence equals the critical angle for total internal reflection for a fixed scattering angle. The approach used here may also be useful in theoretical studies of the scattering of electromagnetic waves from randomly rough dielectric-dielectric interfaces, when the difference between the dielectric constants on the two sides of the interface is small.     

A Study of Parameters that Influence the Accuracy of the Planar Droplet Sizing (PDS) Technique

A combined theoretical and experimental study of the parameters affecting the accuracy of Planar Droplet Sizing (PDS) measurements is presented. The principle of the PDS technique relies on the assumption that the intensity emitted by a fluorescent dye added to a liquid is proportional to the volume of a resulting droplet during atomisation and that the scattered light intensity is proportional to its surface area, allowing measurement of Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD) by taking the ratio of these intensities. A geometrical optics light scattering approach was extended to calculate the fluorescence intensity emitted by a droplet, in addition to providing the scattered light intensity integrated over the collection aperture. The theoretical approach quantified the influences of scattering angle, refractive index, droplet size and dye concentration on the PDS technique. Experiments with monodisperse droplet streams confirmed the calculations in terms of dependence of the scattered and fluorescence intensities. The limitations of the technique have been established together with an appropriate calibration procedure for application in dense sprays.     

Multiple light scattering from a moving layer of Brownian particles: comparison with a rigid phase screen

Abstract

The temporal fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered by a moving layer of emulsions and suspensions containing Brownian particles are investigated experimentally, and a comparison is made with light scattered by a translating phase screen. The intensity fluctuations of the scattered light are detected through an imaging system, which collects the light emanating only from a limited volume in the medium. The effect of translational motion of the particle layer on the decay rate of the autocorrelation function of intensity fluctuations depends on the illuminating form of a laser beam and on the point spread function of the imaging system. The Brownian motion of the particles causes the scattered light to fluctuate more rapidly than that arising from the translating phase screen. In the multiple-scattering regime, the influence of this diffusional motion increases with an increase of the particle concentration in the layer.     

Seismic scattering from a spherical inclusion eccentrically located within a homogeneous,spherical host: theoretical derivation

Abstract

The scattered fields from a spherical body eccentrically located within an otherwise homogeneous host sphere are derived by satisfying the boundary conditions at both interfaces simultaneously. The source, which may be composed of any linear combination of S and P waves, is also located arbitrarily within the host sphere. The scattering system may have applications in seismic scattering, by cavities or dense bodies located near the Earth surface or to the Slichter mode.     

Double-scatter Mueller matrices for vector electromagnetic scattering from single grooves and lines on a silicon surface

A recently developed numerical method is used to calculate the single- and double-scattered Mueller matrices for scattering of vector-electromagnetic waves from rough surfaces. Calculations are performed for the case of a single groove and a single rib on a silicon surface and results are compared to the published experimental results. The calculated results show good agreement with the experimental results for the groove case and poorer agreement with the rib case, probably due to errors in the experimental construction of the rib. It is found that, for the cases studied here, variations of the sign with scatter angle in individual Mueller matrix elements are associated with the presence of double- (or multiple-)scattered light, as has been found previously for scalar diffraction calculations in Gaussian randomly rough surfaces.     

Enhanced backscattering and transmission of light from random surfaces on semi-infinite substrates and thin films

Abstract

The enhanced backscattering of light from a random surface is manifested by a well defined peak in the retro-reflection direction in the angular distribution of the intensity of the incoherent component of the light scattered from such a surface. In this paper we present several new theoretical and experimental results bearing on the conditions under which enhanced backscattering occurs, and the way in which this phenomenon depends on the nature of the random surface roughness, both in the case that the random surface bounds a semi-infinite scattering medium and in the case that it bounds a film, either free-standing or on a reflecting substrate. In addition, we present new results on the transmission of light through thin metallic films bounded by random surfaces, which display the phenomenon of enhanced transmission, namely a well defined peak in the antispecular direction in the angular distribution of the intensity of the incoherent component of the light transmitted through such films.     

Apparent and real roughness

Some works have studied the light scattering from a rough surface immersed in a liquid, where the light scattered from the immersed rough surface was assumed to be equivalent to that scattered from a fictitious rough surface with a different texture. This work deals with this kind of problems analyzing the light scattered by a reflecting strong scatterer and the light scattered by a rough surface immersed in a transparent liquid. The general Kirchhoff solution for scattering from a rough surface has been used.It is shown that under certain conditions, the mean scattered intensity (MSI) from a surface immersed in a liquid can be quasi-indistinguishable from that scattered from a non-immersed surface with an “equivalent texture”. An expression relating the equivalent texture and the immersed surface texture was obtained.The results of this work allow to evaluate the characteristics of any surface immersed in a liquid with a known refractive index.