Accurate one-dimensional inverse scattering using a nonlinear renormalization technique

A nonlinear method based on the inversion of the Riccati equation is presented here for the one-dimensional nondispersive inverse-scattering problem. This method avoids the significant errors in both amplitude and phase that plague most linearized (e.g., Born or its varients) inversion schemes. Instead, a nonlinear approximation to the Riccati equation is used for the accurate determination of the refractive-index amplitude from reflection data. This information is subsequently used to stretch the coordinates so as to remove the phase-accumulation error. The resulting refractive-index reconstructions are therefore accurate both in amplitude and in longitudinal placement as evidenced by the excellent comparison with exact theory. The method is applicable to both continuous and discontinuous refractive profiles and is supported by experimental measurements.