Absolute Measurement of Coherent Backscattering Using a Spatial Light Modulator for Coherence Modification

Coherent backscattering is an interference phenomenon that occurs in the backwards direction of the incident illumination. It arises from photons traveling the same path in opposite directions within a scattering medium. Accurately determining the background signal for normalization can be challengi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Karsten Pink, Niklas Fritzsche, Manuel Petzi, Alwin Kienle, Florian Foschum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Photonics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/7/685
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Summary:Coherent backscattering is an interference phenomenon that occurs in the backwards direction of the incident illumination. It arises from photons traveling the same path in opposite directions within a scattering medium. Accurately determining the background signal for normalization can be challenging in such measurements. This study investigates the use of a spatial light modulator to control spatial coherence, effectively switching the interference on and off. This approach enables independent, absolute measurements of both the signal and background across the full angular detection range without modifying the experimental setup. We demonstrate this method experimentally, highlighting the importance of accurate background determination in coherent backscattering measurements using a Fourier-based setup. Additionally, we demonstrate that measurements normalized to the correct background closely match Monte Carlo simulations of the coherent backscattering signal.
ISSN:2304-6732