Light scattering by a vacuum-like sphere with magnetoelectric gyrotropy

TL;DR

This paper derives an exact scattering matrix for a vacuum-like sphere with magnetoelectric gyrotropy, revealing how the gyrotropy vector orientation affects scattering efficiencies and backscattering.

Contribution

It introduces a precise transition matrix formulation for electromagnetic scattering by such spheres, highlighting the influence of gyrotropy vector orientation.

Findings

Scattering efficiencies decrease when the gyrotropy vector aligns with the incident wave fields.

Backscattering is eliminated when the propagation vector aligns with the gyrotropy vector.

The orientation of the gyrotropy vector critically affects scattering characteristics.

Abstract

An exact transition matrix was formulated for electromagnetic scattering by a vacuum-like sphere with magnetoelectric gyrotropy. Both the total scattering and forward scattering efficiencies are lower when the magnetoelectric gyrotropy vector of the sphere is co/anti-parallel to the electric field or magnetic field of an incident plane wave than when the magnetoelectric gyrotropy vector is coparallel to the propagation vector of the incident plane wave. Backscattering is absent when the propagation vector is co/anti-paralel to the magnetoelectric gyrotropy vector.