Abstract

The diffusion characteristics of light in a turbid medium depend on whether the medium is dense, sparse, tenuous, or nontenuous. It also depends on whether the medium may be continuum or discrete scatterers. Plane-wave incidence, point-source excitation, and beam waves need to be considered as well as rough surfaces and interface effects. The range of validity of first-order scattering, multiple scattering, and diffusion approximation is discussed. Both volume scattering and surface scattering are considered as well as pulse diffusion, angular and temporal spectra and correlations, and polarization effects.

© 1988 Optical Society of America