Some key issues pertaining to analysis of small-angle scattering data affected by multiple scattering

The relevance of accounting for multiple scattering effects in small-angle scattering studies has increased today as more number of high resolution small-angle scattering facilities are available to probe large inhomogeneities. The effect of multiple scattering and the data analysis procedure depends upon the degree of multiple scattering whose measure in a specimen is conveniently expressed by N (= t/L the ratio of specimen thickness t to scattering mean free path L). It also depends upon the relative magnitude of the scattering mean free path L of radiation inside the matrix vis-a-vis the linear dimension R of the inhomogeneities. For L>>R, the scattering medium can be treated in a mean field way as far as the description of multiple scattering is concerned. Such a medium is termed as `effective medium'. But when the condition L>>R is invalidated, the statistical nature of the medium manifests. In the present paper, some key issues pertinent to analysis of small-angle scattering data affected by multiple scattering are addressed.