ABSTRACT
Comparison of a statistical analysis of the data to the sum-of-fields theory suggests that measurements of the polarization states of light scattered from irregular particles on surfaces could potentially be used in an industrial setting to discriminate between compositional classes of particles. This chapter studies the scattering of light by individual irregular particles on surfaces. Since the particles which occur as contamination in industrial situations are almost always irregular, this problem is of practical significance. The chapter determines whether it was possible to discriminate between classes of particles (i.e., by composition) based solely on light scattering signals. If such a test could be found, it might prove helpful in identifying sources of contamination. The program used to model the data is a sum-of-fields model. Light-scattering-based surface-borne-contamination monitors might be capable of providing compositional information on the contaminating particles by measuring the polarization of the scattered light.
