Abstract

We compare experimental and theoretical results for light scattered from a one-dimensionally rough, conducting surface that produces backscattering enhancement. In particular, we study the angular dependence of the four unique elements of the Stokes matrix, which comprise a complete description of the diffuse scattering, at two infrared wavelengths. The experimental surface is fabricated in gold-coated photoresist by using a new technique that produces essentially perfect (i.e., scattering is strictly confined to the plane of incidence) one-dimensionally rough surfaces. Accurate measurements with a stylus profilometer are used to show that the single-point histogram of height and the two-point correlation function are close fits to the desired Gaussian form. The experimental results are are shown to agree with numerical calculations based on the impedance boundary condition, which is reliable for highly conductive surfaces with statistics as in the experiments. We numerically determine the p-and s-polarized scattered amplitudes for an ensemble of statistically identical surfaces; the second order moments of these amplitudes determine the four unique Stokes matrix elements.

© 1992 Optical Society of America