Abstract

We present an experimental study of electromagnetic wave scattering from rough surfaces. The height profiles of the surfaces approximate a Gaussian process with a Gaussian autocorrelation function and are characterized by two parameters, the Rayleigh parameter R = 4πσ_h/λ and the correlation scale a = 2πξ/λ, where σ_h is the rms surface height and ξ is the 1/e correlation length. Three classes of surface are studied at two different wavelengths, 0.63 and 10.6 μm. The first class has low slopes (R/a << 1) and long correlation lengths (a >> 1). The second also has low slopes but short correlation lengths (a ≈ 1). The third class has high slopes (R/a ≈ 1) and shows the phenomenon of enhanced backscattering.¹ Comparisons with theory are made where possible.

© 1987 Optical Society of America