Open AccessUniversal parameter to describe the reduction of refraction effects in the scattering of absorbing spheres
Author(s) -
Justin B. Maughan,
Christopher M. Sorensen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the optical society of america. a, optics, image science, and vision./journal of the optical society of america. a, online
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.803
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1520-8532
pISSN - 1084-7529
DOI - 10.1364/josaa.394401
Subject(s) - refractive index , spheres , physics , optics , refraction , scattering , radius , light scattering , computer security , astronomy , computer science
The scattered intensity from large spheres with a real part of the refractive index of n =1.33,1.5,2.0 is investigated as the radius R and an imaginary part of the refractive index κ are varied. It is shown that the product of κ and the size parameter k R , κ kR, is a universal parameter describing the quenching of the refraction phenomenon of the scattered light: the refraction hump, the generalized rainbows, and the glory. The physical reason for this is that κ kR is the inverse of the relative skin depth of light penetration into the sphere, which is demonstrated by calculations of the internal fields that darken universally as κ kR increases.