title: Simulating photon-transport in uniform media using the radiative transport equation: a study using the Neumann-series approach.
abstract: We present the implementation, validation, and performance of a Neumann-series approach for simulating light propagation at optical wavelengths in uniform media using the radiative transport equation (RTE). The RTE is solved for an anisotropic-scattering medium in a spherical harmonic basis for a diffuse-optical-imaging setup. The main objectives of this paper are threefold: to present the theory behind the Neumann-series form for the RTE, to design and develop the mathematical methods and the software to implement the Neumann series for a diffuse-optical-imaging setup, and, finally, to perform an exhaustive study of the accuracy, practical limitations, and computational efficiency of the Neumann-series method. Through our results, we demonstrate that the Neumann-series approach can be used to model light propagation in uniform media with small geometries at optical wavelengths.
authors.affiliation: College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. akjha@email.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Abhinav K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kupinski
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masumura
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clarkson
authors.forename: Alexey V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Maslov
authors.forename: Harrison H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Barrett
mesh_terms: D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D017785:Photons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation