We report on the ability to use polarized light to measure the particle size distribution of thin layers of polystyrene microspheres on top of a solid Intralipid phantom. The optical properties of each layer were adjusted to match the absorption and scattering properties of the epidermis (polystyrene layer) and dermis (Intralipid layer). Polarized light was used to discriminate between light scattered from the top layer of polystyrene and the lower layer of Intralipid. In this paper we also study the effect of the thickness of the top layer on the ability to reconstruct the polystyrene size distribution.

• Received 14 September 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.65.031906