Experimental laser beam profiles often deviate somewhat from the ideal Gaussian shape of the axisymmetric TEM(00) laser mode. To take these deviations into account when calculating light scattering of an off-axis beam by a spherical particle, we use our phase-modeling method to approximate the beam-shape coefficients in the partial wave expansion of an experimental laser beam. We then use these beam-shape coefficients to compute the near-forward direction scattering of the off-axis beam by the particle. Our results are compared with laboratory data, and we give a physical interpretation of the various features observed in the angular scattering patterns. (C) 1996 Optical Society of Americ
