We have developed an experimental method based on the visibility factor of
light-scattering minima to obtain size-polydispersity information from cont
aminants upon a flat substrate. We verify the method by using double-intera
ction-model calculations and use this technique to examine experimentally t
he radial variation of a micrometer-sized fiber and the size polydispersity
of spherical particles upon a substrate. (C) 1999 Optical Society of Ameri
ca.