Scattering by nanoplasmonic mesoscale assemblies

TL;DR

This paper models how nanoplasmonic assemblies with gold nanoparticles influence light scattering, showing that controlled disorder can direct scattering forward, useful for cloaking and imaging applications.

Contribution

It introduces a new model for plasmonic structures with random nanoparticle distributions, analyzing their scattering behavior and potential for optical control.

Findings

AuNP coating redistributes scattering power

Suppression of angular side lobes achieved

Forward scattering can be tuned via structure design

Abstract

The flexibility and versatility of nanoassembled plasmonic structures provide platforms for mesoscale tunable optical modulation. Our recently developed model for these nanoassembled plasmonic structures is composed of a dielectric spherical core surrounded by a concentric spherical shell containing a random distribution of AuNPs. This model provides a useful platform for studying the role of a controlled amount of disorder on scattering by a particle. In that context, we explore the angular distribution of scattered light for different sizes (5 - 20 nm) and filling fractions (0.1 - 0.3) of the AuNP in the coatings. The simulations reveal that the coating of AuNPs redistributes power in a way that suppresses angular side lobes, thereby guiding the scattered power preferentially in the forward direction. These results highlight that with the ability to tune both the spatial and the spectral aspects of the scattering profile, these coated structures may serve as a platform for a variety of applications, including passive cloaking, scattering enhancement, and high-resolution imaging.