Particle size analysis of turbid media with a single optical fiber in contact with the medium to deliver and detect white light.

Wavelength-dependent elastic-scattering spectra of highly scattering media measured with only a single fiber for both light delivery and collection are presented. White light is used as a source, and oscillations of the detected light intensities are seen as a function of wavelength. The maximum and minimum of the oscillations can be used to determine scatterer size for monodisperse distributions of spheres when the refractive indices are known. In addition, several properties of the probe relevant to tissue diagnosis are examined and discussed including the effects of absorption, a broad distribution of scatterers, and the depth probed.