Abstract

We model an inhomogeneous dielectric slab by a distribution of small dielectric boxes. A coherent scalar electromagnetic wave is incident on the dielectric slab, and it is transmitted or reflected at each interface. The contributions to first order in the index of refraction are summed, and diffraction in the material can be neglected. The light that emerges from the slab has a partially random phase distribution which increases the diffraction of the wave propagating in free space. The scattered intensity is ensemble averaged over the distribution of dielectric boxes; this distribution is taken to be Gaussian with a finite correlation length. Results are presented for the far-field intensity distribution of backward- and forward-scattered light. The contributions of the slab length, the wavelength of light, and the correlation length of the dielectric medium are explained. The consequences of these results to recent experiments are elucidated.

© 1987 Optical Society of America