Transmission Through Layered Media With Rough Boundaries: First-Order Perturbative Solution

We investigate analytically the fully polarimetric electromagnetic wave propagation through a 3-D layered structure. In the framework of the first-order limit of the perturbation theory, a transmission model for a layered structure with an arbitrary number of rough interfaces is developed and an elegant closed-form solution is obtained. The final expressions, in terms of generalized reflection/transmission coefficients, provide parametrically a direct characterization of the scattering properties of the layered structure in terms of the structure's (geometric and electromagnetic) parameters. In addition, we point out the complementary character of the obtained scattering solution with respect to the existing one. Finally, we demonstrate that our solution satisfies the reciprocity principle.