Onefold photoelectron counting distributions are evaluated for coherent light scattered by an ensemble of particles. The ensemble contains, in general, a random number of nonidentical particles. Expressions are obtained for the probability density function and the moments of the scattering intensity. These results reduce to those of Pusey, Schaefer, and Koppel when the particles are identical. Photocount probabilities are also evaluated. The variance, coefficient of skewness, and coefficient of excess are evaluated when the probability density of the intensity contributed by each scatterer is specified by a narrow Gaussian distribution centered about the deterministic mean.

• Received 7 July 1975

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.13.1122