title: Backscattering target detection in a turbid medium by use of circularly and linearly polarized light.
abstract: The polarization properties of the backscattered light from a turbid medium containing large-diameter (10.143-microm) and small-diameter (0.202-microm) spherical polystyrene particles are studied. It is shown that the difference in the polarization properties of the emerging light that originates at the target and that is backscattered from the medium allows for improvement of image contrast by use of polarized light. Based on the images obtained by the CCD camera, the polarization memory effect with circularly polarized light is demonstrated to have an advantage over the linear polarization technique in imaging a highly reflective target inside a turbid medium containing large particles.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers, Department of Physics, City College of New York, Graduate School of City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kartazayeva
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Alfano
mesh_terms: D002942:Circular Dichroism / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation