Collaborative Projects

FDTD simulation of light propagation in turbid media
Many experimental approaches in optical imaging are mostly imperfect since physical limitations such as finite numerical aperture and detection noises are present all the time. The inability to investigate wave inside the medium also poses a fundamental limitation. These all prevent us from the rigorous study of the light propagation through turbid media including thick biological tissues. In our study, we will establish the theoretical grounds for understanding the light propagation which are free from the experimental defects. Especially, we will implement finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to solve wave equation with minimal approximation. For various turbidities of the medium, we will explore their optical properties such as the existence of open eigenchannels predicted by random matrix theory. We will also pursue to find a way to distinguish single scattering from multiple scattering backgrounds. These all together will shed light on designing novel approaches in enhancing light delivery through thick biological tissues and also in improving imaging depth.