title: Analysis of the spatial distribution of polarized light backscattered from layered scattering media.
abstract: The scattering of polarized light from a two layer scattering medium is investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. First order and normalized second order moments are used to analyze the spatial properties of the emerging light in different polarization states. Linearly and circularly polarized illumination is used to probe different depths. Absorption and layer thickness are varied and it is demonstrated that the determination of these values is aided by the inclusion of polarization information. The lateral and depth localization of light by polarization subtraction is also quantified. Potential applications of these techniques are burn depth and melanoma thickness measurements.
authors.affiliation: University of Nottingham, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Stockford
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D002056:Burns / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology