Received 6 Dec 2012 | Accepted 22 Jan 2013 | Published 26 Feb 2013 | Yuan Hsing Fu, Arseniy I. Kuznetsov, Andrey E. Miroshnichenko, Ye Feng Yu, Boris Luk'yanchuk
The paper presents the first experimental demonstration of directional visible light scattering by spherical silicon nanoparticles. This unique optical property arises from the simultaneous excitation and interference of both electric and magnetic dipole resonances within a single nanoparticle. The scattering behavior is similar to Kerker-type scattering by hypothetical magneto-dielectric particles, which was theoretically predicted decades ago. The study shows that the directivity of the far-field radiation pattern of single silicon spheres can strongly depend on the light wavelength and nanoparticle size. For nanoparticles ranging from 100 to 200 nm in size, a forward-to-backward scattering ratio above six can be achieved, making them act as 'Huygens' sources. These properties make silicon nanoparticles promising candidates for designing novel low-loss visible- and telecom-range metamaterials and nanoantenna devices. The research also highlights the importance of efficient control of visible light at the nanoscale for future light-on-chip integration.The paper presents the first experimental demonstration of directional visible light scattering by spherical silicon nanoparticles. This unique optical property arises from the simultaneous excitation and interference of both electric and magnetic dipole resonances within a single nanoparticle. The scattering behavior is similar to Kerker-type scattering by hypothetical magneto-dielectric particles, which was theoretically predicted decades ago. The study shows that the directivity of the far-field radiation pattern of single silicon spheres can strongly depend on the light wavelength and nanoparticle size. For nanoparticles ranging from 100 to 200 nm in size, a forward-to-backward scattering ratio above six can be achieved, making them act as 'Huygens' sources. These properties make silicon nanoparticles promising candidates for designing novel low-loss visible- and telecom-range metamaterials and nanoantenna devices. The research also highlights the importance of efficient control of visible light at the nanoscale for future light-on-chip integration.