Phaseless inverse scattering for rough surface recovery at a single receiver.

Area of Science:

• Computational electromagnetics and wave physics.
• Inverse scattering and signal processing.
• Surface metrology and characterization.

Background:

• Characterizing rough surfaces is crucial for many engineering applications, including non-destructive testing and remote sensing.
• Traditional methods often require complex setups or multiple receivers, limiting their efficiency and applicability.
• Phaseless data acquisition presents a significant challenge in inverse problems, particularly for surface profile reconstruction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computationally efficient algorithm for reconstructing rough surface profiles from single-receiver, phaseless total field data.
• To enable surface characterization using controlled lateral motion of the surface.
• To validate the algorithm's accuracy and robustness under various conditions.

Main Methods:

• The algorithm utilizes the parabolic wave equation, enabling efficient forward and inverse scattering computations.
• It supports both Dirichlet (TE polarization) and Neumann (TM polarization) boundary conditions.
• A marching approach sequentially recovers surface points along the profile.

Main Results:

• Numerical experiments demonstrate accurate reconstructions of rough surface profiles.
• The algorithm shows robustness against measurement noise and variations in critical problem parameters.
• Successful application to phaseless total field data acquired with controlled lateral surface motion.

Conclusions:

• The proposed reconstruction algorithm offers a reliable and efficient solution for surface characterization.
• It provides a valuable tool for engineering applications such as non-destructive testing and remote sensing.
• The method's efficiency and robustness make it suitable for practical implementation.