Fano Combs in the Directional Mie Scattering of a Water Droplet

When light scatters off a sphere, it produces a rich Mie spectrum full of overlapping resonances. Single resonances can be explained with a quantum analogy and result in Fano profiles. However, the full spectrum is so complex that recognizable patterns have not been found, and is only understood by comparing to numerical simulations. Here we show the directional Mie spectrum of evaporating water droplets arranged in consecutive Fano Combs. We then fully explain it by expanding the quantum analogy. This turns the droplet into an optical atom with angular momentum, tunneling, and excited states.

Automated summary

When light scatters off a sphere, it creates a complex Mie spectrum with overlapping resonances. While single resonances can be explained using a quantum analogy and result in Fano profiles, the overall spectrum lacks recognizable patterns and is only understood through numerical simulations. In this study, we demonstrate the directional Mie spectrum of evaporating water droplets arranged in consecutive Fano Combs, and provide a comprehensive explanation by expanding the quantum analogy to treat the droplets as optical atoms with angular momentum, tunneling, and excited states.