title: Controllable transport mean free path of light in xerogel matrixes embedded with polystyrene spheres.
abstract: Xerogel matrices, made by sol-gel techniques, are embedded with polystyrene spheres to promote multiple scattering of light. Varying the concentration of the spheres inside the matrix allows one to adjust the transport mean free path of light inside the material. Coherent backscattering measurements show that a range of transport mean free paths from 90 to 600 nm is easily achieved. The determination of the matrix refractive index permits a direct comparison to multiple scattering and Mie theory. Such tunable diffusive sol-gel derived samples can be further optimized as random laser materials.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Física, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal. bret@fisica.uminho.pt
authors.forename: Boris P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Bret
authors.forename: Nuno J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amaro
authors.forename: Eduardo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nunes-Pereira
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belsley
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D008863:Microspheres; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D011137:Polystyrenes