A Review of Elastic Light Scattering Theories

Abstract

Mie scattering is an important tool for diagnosing microparticles or aerosol particles in technical or natural environments. Mie theory is restricted to spherical, homogeneous, isotropic and non-magnetic particles in a non-absorbing medium. However, as microparticles are hardly ever spherical or homogeneous, there is much interest in more advanced scattering theories. During recent decades, scattering methods for non-spherical and non-homogeneous particles have been developed and even some computer codes are readily available. Extension of Mie theory covers coated spheres, stratified spheres and clustered spheres. For homogeneous non-spherical particles such as spheroids, ellipsoids and finite cylinders, surface discretization methods have been developed. Scattering by inhomogeneous particles may be computed by volume discretization methods.

The discrete dipole approximation: An overview and recent developments

“…The formulation, using Eq. (20), can be thought as an intermediary between the DDA and the MoM as classified by Kahnert [15], therefore revealing complete equivalence of these two formulations. …”

“…A more recent review by Draine [5] mainly concerns applications and numerical considerations. DDA theory was discussed together with other methods for light scattering simulations in reviews by Wriedt [20], Chiappetta and Torresani [21], and Kahnert [15] and in books by Mishchenko et al [22] and Tsang et al [23]. Jones [24] placed the DDA in context of different methods with respect to particle characterization.…”

Physical characterization methods for supplementary cementitious materials

“…Mie theory [37], on the other hand, is a more accepted theory used in LD measurements. The latest laser diffraction instruments use the full Mie theory, which completely solves the equations for interaction of light with matter (including diffraction, reflection and refraction of light).…”

Debye series for light scattering by a nonspherical particle

“…Compared to the volume-based numerical solutions for light scattering by nonspherical particles which discritizes the entire volume, including the scatterer, into cells or substructures (e.g., the finite-difference time-domain method, the finite-element method, etc. [7]), the extended boundary condition method (EBCM, also known under the name of null-field method) introduced by Waterman is a surface-based solution [8]. It replaces the scattering object by a set of polarization currents over its surface.…”