Coherent optical reflectance from a monolayer of large particles adsorbed on a glass surface

Abstract

We develop a coherent-scattering model for the reflection of light from a monolayer of large particles and low surface coverage. The model takes into account multiple scattering between particles of the monolayer and with the substrate, and it can be used around the critical angle in an internal reflection configuration. We compare the results of the model with our own reflectivity data taken with latex particles adsorbed on a glass-water interface and with a simpler effective-medium model.

Optical reflectivity of a disordered monolayer of highly scattering particles: coherent scattering model versus experiment

“…Equations (14) and (15) together with the log-normal size distribution given in Eqs. (16) and (17) reduce to the case for a monodisperse monolayer of particles with radius a ∘ simply by taking the width parameter σ very small so that the result does not depend on it.…”

“…The optical reflectivity of disordered monolayers of particles has been of interest for many years now [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Particular attention was paid in the past to the case of monolayers of small metallic particles whose size is much smaller than the incident wavelength adsorbed on a flat surface (see, for instance, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]).…”

“…Particular attention was paid in the past to the case of monolayers of small metallic particles whose size is much smaller than the incident wavelength adsorbed on a flat surface (see, for instance, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]). The problem of light reflection from monolayers of particles with size comparable to the wavelength has been addressed in more recent studies (see, for instance, [12][13][14][15][16][17]). However, comparatively fewer works have been devoted to this problem.…”

Multiple-scattering model for the coherent reflection and transmission of light from a disordered monolayer of particles

“…Numerical solutions within the QCA [24,26,28,30] require a good deal of computational effort and, as most numerical schemes, they offer little physical insight into the problem. A relatively simple heuristic model (HM) that goes beyond the SS while keeping a comparable simplicity was recently put forth by our group [29]. This HM behaves well for all angles of incidence and particle sizes.…”

“…The multiple-scattering approach has been used by a few authors, at different levels of approximation, in the problem of coherent reflection and transmission of light from a monolayer of particles supported on a flat surface [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. Up to date, either the single-scattering approximation (SS) or numerical solutions to the so called quasi-crystalline approximation (QCA) in the hierarchy of multiple-scattering equations, has been used.…”