Light Scattering and Photon Correlation Spectroscopy

Book excerpt: Since their inception more than 2.5 years ago, photon correlation techniques for the spatial, temporal or spectral analysis of fluctuating light fields have found an ever-widening range of applications. Using detectors which re spond to single quanta of the radiation field, these methods are intrinsically digital in natnre and in many experimental situations offer a unique degree of accuracy and sensitivity, not only for the study of primary light sources themselves, but most particularly in the use of a laser-beam probe to study light scattering from pure fluids, macromolecular suspensions and laminar or turbulent flowing fluids and gases. Following the earliest developments in laser scattering by dilute macro nl01ecular suspensions, in , ... hich particle sizing was the main aim, and the use of photon correlation techniques for laser-Doppler studies of flow and tnrbuence. both of which areas were the subject of NATO ASls in Capri, Italy in 19;:3 and 19;6. significant advances have be('n made in recent years in many other areas. These were reflected in the topics covered in this NATO Advanced Research Workshop, which took place from August 2;th to 30th, 1!)!}6, at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland. These in cluded ('xperimental techniques. statist.ics and data reduction, colloids and aggregation, polymers, gels, liquid crystals and mixtures, protein solutions, critical pllf'nomena and dense media.