Abstract

We have developed a theoretical model for scattering of polarized radiation from randomly rough surfaces using the vector Kirchhoff integral equation. Shadowing of neighboring roughness facets is taken into account. The theoretical results are compared with experimental results by O’Donnel and Mendez¹ who performed scattering experiments with samples of controlled roughness. Our theoretical results agree well with the experiment and reproduced depolarization and backscattering as observed by the experiment for highly rough surfaces. The theoretical model is incorporated into a finite element signature model to analyze polarized images of objects illuminated by active or passive radiation sources. Studies of intensity distributions and polarization states of objects with different roughness are performed for various illumination and detection angles and for various incident beam polarizations. It is found that images of scattered intensity are insensitive to the polarization state of the incident beam, but sensitive to the surface roughness and optical constants of the surface. Polarization images are sensitive to the incident polarization state as well as the surface roughness and optical constants.

© 1991 Optical Society of America