Importance

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Abstract

Modulated light from a light source is incident on the surface of a scattering medium, and light passing through this scattering medium is externally detected. Components having a plurality of angular frequencies .omega..sub.1 and .omega..sub.2 corresponding to photon density waves propagating in the scattering medium are extracted from this detection signal. The extracted signals corresponding to these waves are compared with a signal of original modulated light to be incident on the scattering medium to detect a quantitatively measurable predetermined parameter such as a phase difference at a detection point for each angular frequency. The detected predetermined parameters have a predetermined relationship with absorptive and scattering constituents of the scattering medium. A pair of predetermined parameters are appropriately arithmetically calculated to eliminate the scattering coefficient, so that only the absorption coefficient can be independently calculated. Various pieces of information (including the linear integration value of the absorption coefficient in the scattering medium, the concentration of the specific material in the scattering medium, and the like) associated with absorption and the like in the scattering medium can be obtained in accordance with the calculated absorption coefficient.

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First Claim