Measurements of the angular spectrum of light transmitted through turbid sl
abs with monodispersions of polystyrene spheres have been performed. The re
sults obtained are compared with theoretical calculations, based on the sma
ll-angle approximation of the radiative transfer theory. The experimental d
ata and the theoretical results coincide with a high accuracy, which allows
us to develop the laser diffraction spectroscopy of optically thick light-
scattering layers. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.