Polarized light propagation in multiply scattering media exhibiting both linear birefringence and optical activity: Monte Carlo model and experimental methodology.

A Monte Carlo model for polarized light propagation in birefringent, optically active, multiply scattering media is developed in an effort to accurately represent the propagation of polarized light in biological tissue. The model employs the Jones N-matrix formalism to combine both linear birefringence and optical activity into a single effect that can be applied to photons as they propagate between scattering events. Polyacrylamide phantoms with strain-induced birefringence, sucrose-induced optical activity, and polystyrene microspheres as scattering particles are used for experimental validation. Measurements are made using a Stokes polarimeter that detects scattered light in different geometries, and compared to the results of Monte Carlo simulations run with similar parameters. The results show close agreement between the experimental measurements and Monte Carlo calculations for phantoms exhibiting turbidity and birefringence, as well as for phantoms exhibiting turbidity, birefringence, and optical activity. Other scattering-independent polarization properties can be incorporated into the developed Jones N-matrix formalism, enabling quantification of the polarization effects via an accurate polarization-sensitive Monte Carlo model.

[1]  R. Azzam,et al.  Polarized light in optics and spectroscopy , 1990 .

[2]  A J Welch,et al.  Practical models for light distribution in laser‐irradiated tissue , 1987, Lasers in surgery and medicine.

[3]  D. Côté,et al.  Balanced detection for low-noise precision polarimetric measurements of optically active, multiply scattering tissue phantoms. , 2004, Journal of biomedical optics.

[4]  R. Esenaliev,et al.  Noninvasive blood glucose monitoring with optical coherence tomography: a pilot study in human subjects. , 2002, Diabetes care.

[5]  Joseph R. Lakowicz,et al.  Ophthalmic Glucose Monitoring Using Disposable Contact Lenses—A Review , 2004, Journal of Fluorescence.

[6]  B. Drévillon,et al.  Mueller matrix of dense polystyrene latex sphere suspensions: measurements and Monte Carlo simulation. , 2001, Applied optics.

[7]  V. L. Kuzmin,et al.  Coherent effects in multiple scattering of linearly polarized light , 2005 .

[8]  Z Petrovich,et al.  Utilization of a multilayer polyacrylamide phantom for evaluation of hyperthermia applicators. , 1992, International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group.

[9]  G. Coté,et al.  Effect of temperature, pH, and corneal birefringence on polarimetric glucose monitoring in the eye. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[10]  R R Alfano,et al.  Temporal gating in highly scattering media by the degree of optical polarization. , 1996, Optics letters.

[11]  Lihong V. Wang,et al.  Propagation of polarized light in birefringent turbid media: a Monte Carlo study. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[12]  Z. Wang,et al.  Refractive index matching: A general method for enhancing the optical clarity of a hydrogel matrix , 2002 .

[13]  Vadim Backman,et al.  Simultaneous measurement of angular and spectral properties of light scattering for characterization of tissue microarchitecture and its alteration in early precancer , 2003 .

[14]  A H Hielscher,et al.  Monte Carlo simulations of the diffuse backscattering mueller matrix for highly scattering media. , 2000, Applied optics.

[15]  M. Feld,et al.  Raman spectroscopy for noninvasive glucose measurements. , 2005, Journal of biomedical optics.

[16]  Yukio Yamada,et al.  Noninvasive blood glucose assay using a newly developed near-infrared system , 2003 .

[17]  I. Alex Vitkin,et al.  Polarization studies in multiply scattering chiral media , 2000 .

[18]  B. Wilson,et al.  The propagation of optical radiation in tissue I. Models of radiation transport and their application , 1991, Lasers in Medical Science.

[19]  Lihong V. Wang,et al.  Jones-matrix imaging of biological tissues with quadruple-channel optical coherence tomography. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[20]  David S. Kliger,et al.  CHAPTER 8 – Polarized Light in Condensed Phases , 1990 .

[21]  L Wang,et al.  MCML--Monte Carlo modeling of light transport in multi-layered tissues. , 1995, Computer methods and programs in biomedicine.

[22]  Z. Kam,et al.  Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles , 1998 .

[23]  D. Côté,et al.  Robust concentration determination of optically active molecules in turbid media with validated three-dimensional polarization sensitive Monte Carlo calculations. , 2005, Optics express.

[24]  Gang Yao,et al.  Monte Carlo model and single-scattering approximation of the propagation of polarized light in turbid media containing glucose. , 2002, Applied optics.

[25]  Igor Victorovich Meglinski,et al.  Monte Carlo modeling of polarized light propagation in a biological tissue , 2002, SPIE BiOS.

[26]  I. S. Sokolnikoff.  Mathematical theory of elasticity , 1946 .

[27]  Ashleyj . Welch,et al.  Optical-Thermal Response of Laser-Irradiated Tissue , 1995 .

[28]  J. Schellman,et al.  Optical spectroscopy of oriented molecules , 1987 .

[29]  R. Clark Jones,et al.  A New Calculus for the Treatment of Optical Systems. VII. Properties of the N-Matrices , 1948 .

[30]  T. Milner,et al.  Review of polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography and Stokes vector determination. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[31]  Jessica C Ramella-Roman,et al.  Imaging skin pathology with polarized light. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[32]  I Alex Vitkin,et al.  Optical rotation and linear and circular depolarization rates in diffusively scattered light from chiral, racemic, and achiral turbid media. , 2002, Journal of biomedical optics.

[33]  Steven L. Jacques,et al.  Special Section Guest Editorial: Tissue Polarimetry , 1999 .

[34]  R. Jones.  A New Calculus for the Treatment of Optical Systems. IV. , 1942 .

[35]  Michael S. Feld,et al.  Imaging human epithelial properties with polarized light-scattering spectroscopy , 2001, Nature Medicine.

[36]  Xinxin Guo,et al.  Angular measurements of light scattered by turbid chiral media using linear Stokes polarimeter. , 2006, Journal of biomedical optics.

[37]  Hervé Saint-Jalmes,et al.  Description and time reduction of a Monte Carlo code to simulate propagation of polarized light through scattering media. , 2003, Applied optics.

[38]  M. Hartmann,et al.  Light scattering by small particles. Von H. C. VANDE HULST. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1981. Paperback, 470 S., 103 Abb. und 46 Tab., US $ 7.50 , 1984 .

[39]  J P Freyer,et al.  Characterizing Mammalian cells and cell phantoms by polarized backscattering fiber-optic measurements. , 2001, Applied optics.