On the estimate of effective optical parameters of close-packed fibrillar media

A method is proposed for determining effective optical parameters of multiply scattering random media by analysing the angular intensity distribution of coherent backscattering from a finite-thickness medium layer taking into account the reflectivity of its boundaries. The optical parameters of dry paper layers and paper layers saturated with immersion liquids are studied in the visible region by measuring the half-widths of coherent backscattering peaks at 633 and 532 nm and using the diffuse and collimated transmission spectroscopy. It is shown that the scattering of probe radiation in paper layers is isotropic.