Statistical dependencies beyond linear correlations in light scattered by disordered media

Abstract

Imaging through scattering and random media is an outstanding problem that, to date, has been tackled by either measuring the medium transmission matrix or exploiting linear correlations in the transmitted speckle patterns. However, transmission matrix techniques require interferometric stability and linear correlations, such as the memory effect, can be exploited only in thin scattering media. Here we show the existence of a statistical dependency in strongly scattered optical fields in a case where first-order correlations are not expected. We also show that this statistical dependence and the related information transport is directly linked to artificial neural network imaging in strongly scattering, dynamic media. These nontrivial dependencies provide a key to imaging through dynamic and thick scattering media with applications for deep-tissue imaging or imaging through smoke or fog.