DEBYE-SERIES ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST-ORDER RAINBOW PRODUCED IN SCATTERING OF A DIAGONALLY INCIDENT PLANE-WAVE BY A CIRCULAR-CYLINDER

We derive the Debye-series expansion of the partial-wave scattering an d interior amplitudes for the interaction of a diagonally incident bea m of arbitrary profile with an infinitely long homogeneous dielectric circular cylinder. We then discuss the physical interpretation of the various terms of the series. We also consider the one-internal-reflect ion Debye-series terms for diagonal plane-wave incidence and examine t he first-order rainbow extinction transition as a function of the tilt angle of the incident plane wave. We experimentally observe the first -order rainbow extinction transition and compare our observations with the Debye-series predictions. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.