PARTICLE-SHAPE DETERMINATION FROM POLARIZATION FLUCTUATIONS OF SCATTERED RADIATION

When the number of scattering centers is small and/or varying, non-Gau ssian fluctuations of coherently scattered radiation can field vestigi al information about the character of the individuals. The probability density functions of fluctuations in polarized light scattered from e nsembles of small spheroidal particles are calculated. The particle dy namics are governed by Brownian motion, so their orientation is random relative to the incident polarized radiation, and the number of illum inated scattering centers can fluctuate according to Poisson statistic s. It is demonstrated that the probability density functions of the sc attered radiation may be used to discriminate the particle shape unamb iguously, provided that the mean number of them is sufficiently small. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.