A frequent source of errors in dynamic light-scattering experiments is
partial heterodyning caused by scattering on large particles or imper
fections of the sample cell. With a conventional two-pinhole receiver
it is impossible to distinguish its effect from the effects of a finit
e detector area and detector nonlinearity. However, an accurate data a
nalysis is feasible when a single-mode light receiver is employed. We
present formulas for single-mode autocorrelation and cross-correlation
functions that include a local oscillator and an incoherent backgroun
d of arbitrary strength and take into account detector nonlinearity (e
.g., dead time) up to second order. A simple but accurate method for t
he determination of the nonlinearity parameters and the effective numb
er of receiver modes is also provided. The success of the data-evaluat
ion procedure is demonstrated by the measurement of the hydrodynamic r
adius of latex in the presence of deliberately added local-oscillator
or incoherent-background contributions. (C) 1997 Optical Society of Am
erica.