Point scatterer phase approximation for electromagnetic and intensity waves in random media

The validity of a point scatterer approximation for the phases of electromagnetic and also intensity waves is examined for multilayered random media using a transfer matrix approach. In this study the phase of the transmitted light for each scatterer is approximated by the phase characteristic of an infinitely narrow layer with an infinitely large index of refraction. The approximated phase depends only on the transmission coefficient and permits a reduction of the number of microscopic variables required for such a system. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.