Figure 2

Polarization effects in microspheres-only phantom system. Dependence of the Mueller matrix-derived polarization parameters of a controlled turbid media (microsphere phantom) on the diameter and scattering coefficient. MC-simulated (red symbols) and experimentally obtained (black symbols) variations of the (a) diattenuation and (b) retardance with microsphere diameters for a fixed scattering coefficient \(\upmu_{S} = 102\,\hbox{cm}^{ - 1}\). Near zero diattenuation stems from isotropic nature of the spherical scatterers, and non-zero retardance (\(\sim 1.5\) radians) likely arises from the detection geometry effects and particle diameters (for details, see text). The simulated (red symbols) and experimental (black symbols) variations of (c) diattenuation and (d) retardance with optical turbidity (\(\upmu_{S}\) range from 16 to 621 cm⁻¹) for a fixed scatterer diameter (\(d = 0.42\,\upmu\)m) exhibit similar trends of near zero diattenuation and finite retardance (− 1.4 to 1.5 radians). The corresponding variation of the simulated and experimental degree of polarization with turbidity shown in (e). Note: in Figs. 2 and 3, symbols are experimental and simulations results, and lines are guides for the eye.