A Statistical Model of Light Scattering in Biological Continuous Random Media Based on the Born Approximation

摘要

A comprehensive three-parameter statistical model is presented for the refractive index fluctuations in continuous homogeneous random media, and the light-scattering properties of these media are investigated in the Born (or single-scattering) approximation. Because biological media are usually weakly scattering, the results are applicable to many biomedical light-scattering problems. A rigorous error analysis is presented for the scattering coefficient under the Born approximation in a biologically-relevant, albeit more simplified geometry. The finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) computational electromagnetic analysis is used to obtain the exact solutions for this error analysis. The ranges for the correlation length and the refractive index fluctuation strength under which Born approximation is valid are clearly identified.