MIE SCATTERING FROM THIN ANISOTROPIC SPHERICAL-SHELLS

Exact simple closed form solutions for the electromagnetic scattering problem for a thin spherical shell composed of radially oriented optically anisotropic scattering elements have been obtained. The solution is valid for arbitrary shell size and index of refraction, but is limited to the case of small shell thickness compared to the shell radius. Connections with the Rayleigh-Debye approximation are clearly established and the polarizability of the shell is given in terms of the dielectric constants. It is found that the Rayleigh-Debye approximation correctly computes the effect of the anisotropy in this case. These results are useful in the interpretation of light scattering experiments from phospholipid vesicle dispersions. © 1990 American Institute of Physics.