Generalized Method of Images and Reflective Color Generation from Ultrathin Multipole Resonators

Abstract

The multipole expansion has found limited applicability for optical dielectric resonators in inhomogeneous environment, such as on the surface of substrates. Here, we generalize the method of images to multipole analysis for light scattering by dielectric nanoparticles on conductive substrates. We present examples illustrating the physical insight provided by our method, including selection rules governing the excitation of the multipoles. We propose and experimentally demonstrate a new mechanism to generate high resolution surface color. The dielectric resonators employed are very thin (less than 50 nm), i.e., similar in thickness to the plasmonic resonators that are currently being investi..