Comparative analysis of triangular facet and uniform facet for optical scattering simulation of rough surfaces

In the context of optical scattering simulations, surface discretization is frequently necessary for the execution of target scattering calculations. This paper analyzes two surface discretization methods-the uniform facet method (UFM) and the triangular facet method (TFM)-within the Kirchhoff approximation (KA) framework for optical scattering simulations. This paper analyzes the influence of root-mean-square (RMS) height and correlation length on backscattering intensity and scattering coefficients. This analysis is followed by numerical evaluations for rough planes and rough paraboloids. Results indicate that the TFM outperforms the UFM in high-roughness and large-angle scattering scenarios, where the latter shows notable accuracy loss. Furthermore, for rough surfaces with curvature, the TFM yields more reliable results, demonstrating its effectiveness for backscattering analysis.