Angle-Suppressed Scattering and Optical Forces on Submicron Dielectric Particles

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that submicron Silicon spheres can exhibit angle-suppressed scattering and unique optical force effects, aligning with Kerker's conditions, in the near infrared, providing a practical platform for studying these phenomena.

Contribution

It experimentally shows angle-suppressed scattering and optical force effects in silicon particles, confirming theoretical Kerker conditions with real dielectric objects.

Findings

Zero forward or backward scattering observed in silicon spheres.

Optical forces are influenced by electric and magnetic dipole interplay.

Kerker's scattering conditions are achievable in practical dielectric particles.

Abstract

We show that submicron Silicon spheres, whose polarizabilities are completely given by their two first Mie coefficients, are an excellent laboratory to test effects of both angle-suppressed and resonant differential scattering cross sections. Specifically, outstanding scattering angular distributions, with zero forward or backward scattered intensity, (i.e., the so-called Kerker's conditions), previously discussed for hypothetical magnetodielectric particles, are now observed for those Si objects in the near infrared. Interesting new consequences for the corresponding optical forces are derived from the interplay, both in and out resonance, between the electric and magnetic induced dipoles.