Evolution of transmitted depolarization in diffusely scattering media

Published

June 1, 2020

Author(s)

Thomas A. Germer

Abstract

We performed Mueller matrix Monte Carlo simulations of the propagation of optical radiation in diffusely scattering media for collimated incidence and report the results as a function of thickness and the angle subtended by the detector. For sufficiently small thickness, a fraction of the radiation does not undergo any scattering events and is emitted at zero angle. Thus, for a very small detector angle, the measured signal will mostly indicate the attenuation of the coherent contribution, while for larger angles, the diffuse scattering radiation will contribute significantly more. The degree to which the radiation is depolarized thus depends on the angle subtended by the detector. A three- stream model, where the coherent radiation, the forward diffusely scattered radiation, and the backward scattered radiation are propagated according to the differential Mueller matrix formalism is introduced and describes the results from the Monte Carlo simulations and the results of measurements well. This scatter-based model for depolarization in diffusely scattering media competes with that based upon elementary fluctuation theory applied to a single propagation stream. Results for average photon path length, determined from the Monte Carlo simulations, suggest that applying fluctuation theory to photon path length may unify the two approaches.

Citation

Journal of the Optical Society of America A

Volume

37

Issue

6

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.390598

Local Download

Keywords

depolarization, diffuse scatter, Monte Carlo, Mueller matrix, polarimetry, transmittance

Citation

Germer, T. (2020), Evolution of transmitted depolarization in diffusely scattering media, Journal of the Optical Society of America A, [online], https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.390598 (Accessed April 24, 2024)