Using A Pulsed Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method to Simulate Light Scattering from Cells Over Broad Wavelength Ranges

Backscattering is very sensitive to structure and refraction index variation of cell. Hence, if I can build a simulation tool to find relationship between backscattering and structure and refraction index variation of cell, and then, it would be potential to achieve non-invasive epithelium cancer diagnosis. In this thesis, I use finite difference time domain (FDTD) method to build simulation tool, and use Gaussian pulsed for achieving simulation light scattering over broad wavelength ranges. FDTD is a flexible and powerful method to solve Maxwell’s equation. FDTD is suitable for dielectric objects of arbitrary shape. By change the simulation parameter of cell to observe backscattering, and investigate the relationship between backscattering and structure and refraction index variation of cell. To verify FDTD simulation result of uniform sphere by Mie theory, and discuss the influence of special sampling on accuracy, elapsed time and memory size. At last, I simulate several different nuclei, and observe the influence of structure and refraction index variation of cell on backscattering. The backscattering is certainly influenced by structure and refraction index variation of cell.