Optical path-length spectroscopy of wave propagation in random media.

We propose optical path-length spectroscopy as a new approach to obtaining information from media that exhibit multiple light scattering. By using a backscattering technique based on low-coherence interferometry, we are able to determine the optical path-length distribution for light reflected from a random medium and to infer the value of the transport mean free path. We illustrate how a diffusion approximation model leads to a satisfactory description of depth-resolved profiles of the backscattered intensity and discuss potential applications of this technique.

[1]  J M Schmitt,et al.  Cross-polarized backscatter in optical coherence tomography of biological tissue. , 1998, Optics letters.

[2]  D. Boas,et al.  Using dynamic low-coherence interferometry to image Brownian motion within highly scattering media. , 1998, Optics letters.

[3]  Alfano,et al.  When does the diffusion approximation fail to describe photon transport in random media? , 1990, Physical review letters.

[4]  Akira Ishimaru,et al.  Diffusion of a pulse in densely distributed scatterers , 1978 .

[5]  Akira Ishimaru,et al.  Wave propagation and scattering in random media , 1997 .

[6]  A. Knoesen,et al.  Group velocity dispersion in asymmetric slab guides. , 1989, Applied optics.

[7]  D. Durian,et al.  Angular distribution of diffusely transmitted light. , 1996, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics.

[8]  D. Durian,et al.  Diffusing-Light Spectroscopies Beyond the Diffusion Limit: The Role of Ballistic Transport and Anisotropic Scattering , 1998 .

[10]  D. Davies,et al.  Optical coherence-domain reflectometry: a new optical evaluation technique. , 1987, Optics letters.

[11]  Durian.  Influence of boundary reflection and refraction on diffusive photon transport. , 1994, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics.

[12]  D. Weitz,et al.  Diffusing-wave spectroscopy : dynamic light scattering in the multiple scattering limit , 1990 .

[13]  J. Duderstadt,et al.  Nuclear reactor analysis , 1976 .

[14]  A Dogariu,et al.  Time-domain depolarization of waves retroreflected from dense colloidal media. , 1997, Optics letters.