Light backscattered from an optically dense random medium is shown to exhibit a pronounced polarization dependence. An unexpected memory of the incident circular polarization of multiply scattering light arises because the wave’s helicity is randomized less rapidly than is its direction. A simple model is developed to account for the observed polarization dependence of the intensity and temporal correlations of the intensity fluctuations of backscattered light.

• Received 5 September 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.40.9342