SCATTERING FROM METALLIC AND DIELECTRIC ROUGH SURFACES

Using a generalization of the integral theory of metallic and dielectric gratings developed in our laboratory 15 years ago, we propose a rigorous integral theory of scattering by metallic or dielectric nonperiodic rough surfaces leading to a single integral equation. The numerical implementation has been carried out despite strong difficulties for TM polarization and metallic surfaces because of propagation of surface plasmon waves outside the illuminated region of the rough surface. Numerical results show the influence of the statistical parameters of the asperities on the absorption phenomena for metallic surfaces. Then the influence of asperities on the total transmission around Brewster incidence is studied. Finally numerical results of enhanced backscattering from perfectly conducting, metallic, and dielectric random rough surfaces are given. © 1990 Optical Society of America.