Depolarization and backscatter enhancement in light scattering from random rough surfaces: comparison of full-wave theory with experiment

Abstract

The full-wave approach is used to interpret the recently observed depolarization and enhanced backscattering of light from random rough surfaces fabricated in photoresist with an aluminum overcoating [E.R. Mendez and K.A. O'Donnell, Opt. Commun. 61, 91 (1987); K.A. O'Donnell and E.R. Mendez, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A4, 1194 (1987)]. A second-order iterative solution based on the rigorous full-wave approach indicates that, contrary to the suggestions made by Mendez and O'Donnell (who performed the experiments and considered numerous other theories), the observed enhanced backscatter is a first-order effect that can be attributed to single scatter rather than to multiple scatter