Scattering of Coherent and Incoherent Light by Latex Hydrosols

Abstract

Experimental study of the scattering of coherent and incoherent light by latex hydrosols has been extended to determine the effects of larger diameter scatterers and of several scatterer concentrations. The angular dependence of the intensity of the light scattered by latex spheres suspended in water was measured. Two light sources were used: (1) a continuous wave He-Ne laser radiating at 6328 A and (2) a high pressure, xenon arc lamp limited to a 100-micro bandwidth centered at 6328 A. The number of particles in the scattering volume coherently illuminated with the laser was greater than the number coherently illuminated with the xenon lamp by a factor > 5 x 10(5). Six hydrosols were studied: three suspensions of particles polydispersed in size (diameter ranges from 6 micro to 14 micro, 12 micro to 35 micro, and 25 micro to 55 micro) and three suspensions of particles monodispersed in size (0.796-micro diam and concentration ranging from 5.7 x 10(7) particles/cm(3) to 5.7 x 10(5) particles/cm(3)). For these six suspensions, the data from the two light sources agree to within the possible experimental error of 20%.