Angular resolved light scattering from micron-sized colloidal assemblies

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical scattering properties of micron-sized disordered colloidal assemblies, providing experimental data and adapting models to describe their behavior beyond the weak-scattering limit, relevant for structural coloration and photonic materials.

Contribution

It offers new experimental insights and model adaptations for understanding light scattering in micron-sized colloidal assemblies beyond traditional regimes.

Findings

Experimental differential scattering data obtained.

Model adaptation for Lorentz-Mie regime demonstrated.

Insights into structural color mechanisms provided.

Abstract

Disordered dielectrics with structural correlations on length scales comparable to visible light wavelengths exhibit complex optical properties. Such materials exist in nature, leading to beautiful structural non-iridescent color, and they are also increasingly used as building blocks for optical materials and coatings. In this article, we study the single-scattering properties of micron-sized, disordered colloidal assemblies. The aggregates act as structurally colored supraparticles or as building blocks for macroscopic photonic glasses. We present experimental data for the differential scattering and transport cross-section. We show how we can adapt existing macroscopic models to describe the scattering from small colloidal assemblies outside the weak-scattering limit and entering the Lorentz-Mie regime.