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Light scattering by an arbitrary particle: the scattering-order formulation of the coupled-dipole method
1Life Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico 87545.
Summary
This study presents a dipole scattering approximation for arbitrary particles. The method accurately models light scattering for spheres when the series converges, with accuracy depending on particle properties.
Area of Science:
- Electromagnetic theory
- Computational physics
- Optics
Background:
- Light scattering by particles is crucial in various scientific fields.
- Exact solutions for scattering are often limited to simple geometries.
- Approximation methods are needed for complex particle shapes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an approximate method for calculating light scattering by arbitrary particles.
- To express the scattered field as an infinite series of scattering orders.
- To validate the method against exact theories for spherical particles.
Main Methods:
- Modeling particles as arrays of coupled dipoles.
- Calculating scattering fields iteratively from previous orders.
- Analyzing the convergence of the infinite series.
Main Results:
- The scattered field is accurately represented by an infinite series of scattering orders.
- The approximation method shows good agreement with exact theory for spheres.
- Convergence and applicability depend on particle's refractive index and shape.
Conclusions:
- The coupled dipole approximation provides a viable method for calculating light scattering from complex particles.
- The accuracy and computational requirements are influenced by particle characteristics.
- This method offers a way to study scattering phenomena for non-spherical particles.
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