Abstract

There have been various studies of a propagating beam wave passing through a random inhomogeneous medium and then being reflected back through the same medium.¹ The intensity statistics in the far field display an enhancement caused by the double passage through the medium. This enhancement occurs because of single or multiple inhomogeneities, depending on the mirror's position relative to the screen's focus plane. The enhancement has been confirmed in previous theoretical and experimental work. We have developed a computer simulation of this phenomenon, which is known as enhanced backscatter. Although there are many concerns with this phase screen, the assumption made in the simulation is that the phase screen has a power-law spectrum with an 11/3 spectral index. This simulation has been tested with theoretical work² and has provided a useful tool to study different types of reflectors, along with the general enhanced backscatter configuration.

© 1990 Optical Society of America