Light scattering by optically anisotropic scatterers I: T--matrix theory for radial and uniform anisotropies

Abstract

We extend the T-matrix approach to light scattering by spherical particles to some simple cases in which the scatterers are optically anisotropic. Specifically we consider cases in which the spherical particles include radially and uniformly anisotropic layers. We find that in both cases the T-matrix theory can be formulated using a modified T-matrix ansatz with suitably defined modes. In a uniformly anisotropic medium we derive these modes by relating the wave packet representation and expansions of electromagnetic field over spherical harmonics. The resulting wave functions are deformed spherical harmonics that represent solutions of the Maxwell equations. We use these modes to express the equations for the T-matrix elements in terms of computationally tractable coefficient functions.