Experimental determination of scattering matrices of dust particles at visible wavelengths: The IAA light scattering apparatus

We present a new apparatus for measuring the complete scattering matrix as a function of the scattering angle of dust irregular particles. The design is based on the well-known apparatus located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In this improved version we have extended the scattering angle ranging from 3° to 177°. Moreover, the measurements are performed with a tunable argon–krypton laser that emit at a wavelength (λ) of 483, 488, 520, 568, or 647 nm. The apparatus has been developed at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA), Granada, Spain. To measure the scattering matrix elements we use a number of different optical components such as polarizers, a quarter-wave plate, and an electro-optic modulator. These components are used to manipulate the polarization state of light. By using eight different combinations for the orientation angles of the optical components, all scattering matrix elements are obtained as functions of the scattering angle. The accuracy of the instrument is tested by comparing the measured scattering matrices of water droplets at 488, 520, and 647 nm with Lorenz–Mie calculations for a distribution of homogeneous water droplets.