Abstract

A general solution to the problem of measuring the size distribution of large particles in optically thick media by using small-angle light scattering is presented. The approach is general in the sense that no assumption of the form of the particle-size distribution function is required, although the particles must be distributed uniformly throughout the medium. The method is based on a successive order, discrete ordinates approach for modeling multiple-scattering phenomena and requires that the particle field be interrogated by using an array of near-forward input light angles. The scattering redistribution matrix is thereby determined, which permits a numerical inversion of the problem to obtain the single-scattering signature. Finally, conventional inverse scattering methods are used to reconstruct the particle-size distribution from the near-forward (single-scattering) light-scattering pattern.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Sampling and inversion of data in diffraction particle sizing

J. B. Riley and Y. C. Agrawal
Appl. Opt. 30(33) 4800-4817 (1991)

Synthesis of integral transform solutions for the reconstruction of particle-size distributions from forward-scattered light

Joseph H. Koo and E. Dan Hirleman
Appl. Opt. 31(12) 2130-2140 (1992)

Particle sizing by inversion of the optical transform pattern

Scott D. Coston and Nicholas George
Appl. Opt. 30(33) 4785-4794 (1991)

Analytical inversion for laser diffraction spectrometry giving improved resolution and accuracy in size distribution

J. C. Knight, D. Ball, and G. N. Robertson
Appl. Opt. 30(33) 4795-4799 (1991)

Analysis of particle sizes, concentration, and refractive index in measurement of light transmittance in the forward-scattering-angle range

Anatoli P. Nefedov, Oleg F. Petrov, and Olga S. Vaulina
Appl. Opt. 36(6) 1357-1366 (1997)