Electromagnetic energy flow near metal nanoparticles - II: Algorithms for the calculation of the light scattering of multi-spheres and photon energy transport via linear chains of Ag nanoparticles

We present a new algorithm to calculate the near-field distribution of scattered light of multiple nanospheres based on recursive order-of-scattering (OS) and the matrix inversion approaches, which avoids the divergent problem encountered in origin OS method at the resonance condition. Using this method, we investigate the light-transport properties of linear chains of Ag nanospheres. We found a maximum 3 dB damping length of 1.4 mu m of the light propagation when the first sphere of the linear Ag spheres with the radius R = 25 nm was illuminated. The optimal configurations that favor the photon energy transport are investigated as well. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.