Investigation of Polarization Characteristics in Lateral-Scattered Light from Particle Ensembles: A Simulation and Experimental Approach

Flow field visualization techniques relying on the light intensity of tracer particles are susceptible to uneven laser energy distribution and environmental interference. Polarization information provides a novel approach to address these challenges. This study comprehensively utilizes numerical simulation and experimental methods to systematically investigate the polarization characteristics of lateral-scattered light from particle ensembles, with a focused analysis on the effects of parameters such as incident light wavelength, particle concentration, and particle diameter. The findings reveal the following: (1) When particle parameters are held constant, the wavelength has a minimal impact on the polarization characteristics of lateral-scattered light. (2) With a consistent particle diameter, an increase in concentration enhances the relative intensity across various polarization directions while concurrently decreasing the degree of polarization. (3) When the particle diameter changes, its influence on the scattering properties can surpass that of the ensemble scattering coefficient, becoming the dominant factor. The systematic findings of this research establish a crucial theoretical and experimental foundation for the application of polarization imaging technology to the visualization of complex flow fields and the accurate measurement of their parameters.