Frequency correlations in reflection from random media

TL;DR

This paper provides a theoretical analysis of frequency correlations in light reflected from random media, linking these correlations to scattering path lengths and exploring effects of disorder strength on angular dependence.

Contribution

It introduces a simple expression for frequency correlations based on path length distribution and extends the model to stronger disorder regimes.

Findings

Frequency correlations relate to path length distributions.

Closed trajectories suppress angular dependence in correlations.

Model explains breakdown of angular structure at higher disorder.

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of frequency correlations of light backscattered from a random scattering medium. This statistical quantity provides insight into the dynamics of multiple scattering processes accessible both, in theoretical and experimental investigations. For frequency correlations between field amplitudes, we derive a simple expression in terms of the path length distribution of the underlying backscattering processes. In a second step, we apply this relation to describe frequency correlations between intensities in the regime of weak disorder. Since, with increasing disorder strength, an unexplained breakdown of the angular structure of the frequency correlation function has recently been reported in experimental studies, we explore extensions of our model to the regime of stronger disorder. In particular, we show that closed scattering trajectories tend to suppress the angular dependence of the frequency correlation function.