Time-resolved scattering diagrams for a sphere illuminated by plane wave and focused short pulses

Relying on a generic formulation of a generalized Lorenz-Mie theory for a particle illuminated by laser pulses, we present time-resolved scattering diagrams for a 100-mum-diameter sphere illuminated by a 100 fs pulse, in the cases of a plane wave lateral extension and of a focused laser beam. The response of the sphere to a single pulse takes the form of a train of pulses which are associated with different independent scattering events (reflection, diffraction, refraction, etc.). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.