Determination of Diameter and Index of Refraction of Textile Fibers by Laser Backscattering
Authors: H. Okuda, B. Stratton, L. Meixler, P. Efthimion, and D.Mansfield
Date of PPPL Report: July 2003
A new method was developed to determine both diameters and indices of refraction and hence the birefringence of cylindrical textile and industrial fibers and bundles by measuring intensity patterns of the scattered light over an interval of scattering angles. The measured intensity patterns are compared with theoretical predictions (Mie theory) to determine fiber diameter and index of refraction. It is shown that the method is simple and accurate and may be useful as an on-line, noncontact diagnostic tool in real time.