Enhanced backscattering from very smooth metal surfaces

Zu-Han Gu; Jean M. Bennett

doi:10.1117/12.218339

1 September 1995 Enhanced backscattering from very smooth metal surfaces

Zu-Han Gu, Jean M. Bennett

Proceedings Volume 2541, Optical Scattering in the Optics, Semiconductor, and Computer Disk Industries; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.218339
Event: SPIE's 1995 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1995, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

One of the most interesting phenomena associated with the scattering of light from a randomly rough surface is that of enhanced backscattering. This is the presence of a well-defined peak in the retroreflection direction in the angular distribution of the intensity of the incoherent component of the light scattered from such a surface. It is due primarily to the coherent interference of each multiply reflected optical path with its time-reversed parter. The enhanced backscattering of light from a randomly rough surface was predicted in the scattering of P- polarized light from a 1D random metal surface, when the plane of incidence was perpendicular to the generators of the surface. The calculation employed lower order perturbation theory and was limited to weakly corrugated surfaces. To test the theory, recent experimental investigations of scattering from very shallow randomly rough characterized Gold surfaces shows the enhanced backscattering phenomenon. The far-field measurements and characterization of the surfaces are presented and compared with analytical results. It is believed that the mechanism responsible for the enhanced backscattering phenomenon is due to the large slope of the very smooth metallic surface.

Citation Download Citation

Zu-Han Gu and Jean M. Bennett "Enhanced backscattering from very smooth metal surfaces", Proc. SPIE 2541, Optical Scattering in the Optics, Semiconductor, and Computer Disk Industries, (1 September 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.218339

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