Image theory for a sphere with negative permittivity

Abstract

An image system for a point charge outside a dielectric sphere is presented for all complex values of relative permittivity $\epsilon=\epsilon'+i\epsilon''$. The standard image integral solution of a point charge outside a dielectric sphere involving an image point charge plus a line source is shown to diverge for $\epsilon'<-1$, and a correction is proposed for this case, involving image multipoles of infinite magnitude that regularise the divergent line integral. The number of these multipoles depends on the position of $\epsilon$ relative to the resonant values $\epsilon=-1-1/n$ for positive integer $n$. The internal potential and dipole sources are also considered.