ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basic theoretical and practical aspects of applying the Monte Carlo method to photon transport phenomena. It examines Monte Carlo simulation is introduced as a general technique for evaluating integrals and explores the photon transport problem itself is then formulated as an integral equation and its relation to the Boltzmann transport equation. The chapter describes this formal characterization of the problem is necessary to fully exploit variance reduction and estimation techniques and proposes the steps involved in solving the transport equation by straightforward, direct Monte Carlo simulation. It presents practical techniques of extracting random samples from a given probability density function and addresses the practical aspects of Monte Carlo simulation such as selection of photon cross-section data and sampling from the probability density functions actually encountered in practice. The chapter concludes with a discussion of variance reduction: modification of the sampling or scoring procedures in order to increase the efficiency of the simulation.
