Self-thermophoresis of laser-heated spherical Janus particles

An analytic framework is presented for calculating the self-induced thermophoretic velocity of a laser-heated Janus metamaterial micro-particle, consisting of two conducting hemispheres of different thermal and electric conductivities. The spherical Janus is embedded in a quiescent fluid of infinite expanse and is exposed to a continuous light irradiation by a defocused laser beam. The analysis is carried under the electrostatic (Rayleigh) approximation (radius small compared to wavelength). The linear scheme for evaluating the temperature field in the three phases is based on employing a Fourier–Legendre approach, which renders rather simple semi-analytic expressions in terms of the relevant physical parameters of the titled symmetry-breaking problem. In addition to an explicit solution for the self-thermophoretic mobility of the heated Janus, we also provide analytic expressions for the slip-induced Joule heating streamlines and vorticity field in the surrounding fluid, for a non-uniform (surface dependent) Soret coefficient. For a ‘symmetric’ (homogeneous) spherical particle, the surface temperature gradient vanishes and thus there is no self-induced thermophoretic velocity field. The ‘inner’ temperature field in this case reduces to the well-known solution for a laser-heated spherical conducting colloid. In the case of a constant Soret phoretic mobility, the analysis is compared against numerical simulations, based on a tailored collocation method for some selected values of the physical parameters. Also presented are some typical temperature field contours and heat flux vectors prevailing in the two-phase Janus as well as light-induced velocity and vorticity fields in the ambient solute and a new practical estimate for the self-propelling velocity. Graphic abstract

Optical properties of elongated conducting grains

ABSTRACT Extremely elongated, conducting dust particles (also known as metallic ‘needles’ or ‘whiskers’) are seen in carbonaceous chondrites and in samples brought back from the Itokawa asteroid. Their formation in protostellar nebulae and subsequent injection into the interstellar medium have been demonstrated, both experimentally and theoretically. Metallic needles have been suggested to explain a wide variety of astrophysical phenomena, ranging from the mid-infrared interstellar extinction at $\sim \,$3–8$\, {\rm \mu m}$ to the thermalization of starlight to generate the cosmic microwave background. To validate (or invalidate) these suggestions, an accurate knowledge of the optics (e.g. the amplitude and the wavelength dependence of the absorption cross sections) of metallic needles is crucial. Here we calculate the absorption cross sections of iron needles of various aspect ratios over a wide wavelength range, by exploiting the discrete dipole approximation, the most powerful technique for rigorously calculating the optics of irregular or nonspherical grains. Our calculations support the earlier findings that the antenna theory and the Rayleigh approximation, which are often taken to approximate the optical properties of metallic needles, are indeed inapplicable.

Simulation of elastic wave diffraction by a sphere in semibounded region

The problem of scattering of plane elastic waves by a rigid sphere located near a plane rigid boundary is considered, which leads to the generation of multiply re-reflected dilatation and shear waves. The formulation of the problem is given when slippage conditions are specified on a flat boundary (equality of tangential stresses to zero). The problem is reduced to the definition of scalar functions. General solutions are written down, and approximate solutions are constructed for the field in the far zone characterized by the fact that the distance from the plane boundary to the obstacle is much greater than the radius of the sphere. In addition, the Rayleigh approximation is used, when the wave number is much lesser than the radius of the sphere. The method of images is used to construct multiply reflected waves. Approximate formulas are given for the field in the far zone and in the case of the long-wave Rayleigh approximation. The calculations of scattered wave fields, presented in the form of scattering diagrams, are carried out, from which a strongly oscillating wave field can be seen.

Approximate T matrix and optical properties of spheroidal particles to third order with respect to size parameter

© 2019 American Physical Society. In electromagnetic scattering, the so-called T matrix encompasses the optical response of a scatterer for any incident excitation and is most commonly defined using the basis of multipolar fields. It can therefore be viewed as a generalization of the concept of polarizability of the scatterer. We calculate here the series expansion of the T matrix for a spheroidal particle in the small-size, long-wavelength limit, up to third lowest order with respect to the size parameter, X, which we will define rigorously for a nonspherical particle. T is calculated from the standard extended boundary condition method with a linear system involving two infinite matrices P and Q, whose matrix elements are integrals on the particle surface. We show that the limiting form of the P and Q matrices, which is different in the special case of spheroid, ensures that this Taylor expansion can be obtained by considering only multipoles of order 3 or less (i.e., dipoles, quadrupoles, and octupoles). This allows us to obtain self-contained expressions for the Taylor expansion of T(X). The lowest order is O(X3) and equivalent to the quasistatic limit or Rayleigh approximation. Expressions to order O(X5) are obtained by Taylor expansion of the integrals in P and Q followed by matrix inversion. We then apply a radiative correction scheme, which makes the resulting expressions valid up to order O(X6). Orientation-averaged extinction, scattering, and absorption cross sections are then derived. All results are compared to the exact T-matrix predictions to confirm the validity of our expressions and assess their range of applicability. For a wavelength of 400 nm, the new approximation remains valid (within 1% error) up to particle dimensions of the order of 100-200 nm depending on the exact parameters (aspect ratio and material). These results provide a relatively simple and computationally friendly alternative to the standard T-matrix method for spheroidal particles smaller than the wavelength, in a size range much larger than for the commonly used Rayleigh approximation.

Approximate T matrix and optical properties of spheroidal particles to third order with respect to size parameter

© 2019 American Physical Society. In electromagnetic scattering, the so-called T matrix encompasses the optical response of a scatterer for any incident excitation and is most commonly defined using the basis of multipolar fields. It can therefore be viewed as a generalization of the concept of polarizability of the scatterer. We calculate here the series expansion of the T matrix for a spheroidal particle in the small-size, long-wavelength limit, up to third lowest order with respect to the size parameter, X, which we will define rigorously for a nonspherical particle. T is calculated from the standard extended boundary condition method with a linear system involving two infinite matrices P and Q, whose matrix elements are integrals on the particle surface. We show that the limiting form of the P and Q matrices, which is different in the special case of spheroid, ensures that this Taylor expansion can be obtained by considering only multipoles of order 3 or less (i.e., dipoles, quadrupoles, and octupoles). This allows us to obtain self-contained expressions for the Taylor expansion of T(X). The lowest order is O(X3) and equivalent to the quasistatic limit or Rayleigh approximation. Expressions to order O(X5) are obtained by Taylor expansion of the integrals in P and Q followed by matrix inversion. We then apply a radiative correction scheme, which makes the resulting expressions valid up to order O(X6). Orientation-averaged extinction, scattering, and absorption cross sections are then derived. All results are compared to the exact T-matrix predictions to confirm the validity of our expressions and assess their range of applicability. For a wavelength of 400 nm, the new approximation remains valid (within 1% error) up to particle dimensions of the order of 100-200 nm depending on the exact parameters (aspect ratio and material). These results provide a relatively simple and computationally friendly alternative to the standard T-matrix method for spheroidal particles smaller than the wavelength, in a size range much larger than for the commonly used Rayleigh approximation.

Approximate T matrix and optical properties of spheroidal particles to third order with respect to size parameter

© 2019 American Physical Society. In electromagnetic scattering, the so-called T matrix encompasses the optical response of a scatterer for any incident excitation and is most commonly defined using the basis of multipolar fields. It can therefore be viewed as a generalization of the concept of polarizability of the scatterer. We calculate here the series expansion of the T matrix for a spheroidal particle in the small-size, long-wavelength limit, up to third lowest order with respect to the size parameter, X, which we will define rigorously for a nonspherical particle. T is calculated from the standard extended boundary condition method with a linear system involving two infinite matrices P and Q, whose matrix elements are integrals on the particle surface. We show that the limiting form of the P and Q matrices, which is different in the special case of spheroid, ensures that this Taylor expansion can be obtained by considering only multipoles of order 3 or less (i.e., dipoles, quadrupoles, and octupoles). This allows us to obtain self-contained expressions for the Taylor expansion of T(X). The lowest order is O(X3) and equivalent to the quasistatic limit or Rayleigh approximation. Expressions to order O(X5) are obtained by Taylor expansion of the integrals in P and Q followed by matrix inversion. We then apply a radiative correction scheme, which makes the resulting expressions valid up to order O(X6). Orientation-averaged extinction, scattering, and absorption cross sections are then derived. All results are compared to the exact T-matrix predictions to confirm the validity of our expressions and assess their range of applicability. For a wavelength of 400 nm, the new approximation remains valid (within 1% error) up to particle dimensions of the order of 100-200 nm depending on the exact parameters (aspect ratio and material). These results provide a relatively simple and computationally friendly alternative to the standard T-matrix method for spheroidal particles smaller than the wavelength, in a size range much larger than for the commonly used Rayleigh approximation.

Scattering of an elastic wave by a rigid sphere in a semi-bounded domain

The problem of scattering of plane elastic waves by a rigid sphere near a rigid boundary is considered. This leads to the appearance of multiply re-reflected dilatation and shear waves, which generate strong oscillations of the wave field. The problem for a vector operator of the shear waves is reduced to the definition of scalar functions as a consequence of symmetry. Approximate formulas for the far field and the long-wave Rayleigh approximation are presented. The construction of multiply re-reflected waves by the image method is presented and analyzed. Calculations of the scattered wave fields are plotted in the form of scattering diagrams.