T-matrix calculation via discrete dipole approximation, point matching and exploiting symmetry

We present a method of incorporating the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method with the point matching method to formulate the T-matrix for modelling arbitrarily shaped microsized objects. The T-matrix elements are calculated using point matching between fields calculated using vector spherical wave functions and DDA. When applied to microrotors, their discrete rotational and mirror symmetries can be exploited to reduce memory usage and calculation time by orders of magnitude; a number of optimization methods can be employed based on the knowledge of the relationship between the azimuthal mode and phase at each discrete rotational point, and mode redundancy from Floquet's theorem. A 'reduced-mode' T-matrix can also be calculated if the illumination conditions are known. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.