Numerical analysis on the optical force calculation in the Rayleigh scattering regime

Abstract

The radiation force calculated in the Rayleigh regime is investigated by comparison with the generalized Lorenz Mie Theory (GLMT). The basic concepts behind the Rayleigh regime and GLMT are introduced, and a numerical simulation is conducted to analyze the difference between these two methods. Several physical parameters are considered to evaluate their effect on the calculation accuracy of the Rayleigh regime, including the particle size, optical wavelength, and beam waist. The numerical results show that the valid region of the Rayleigh regime depends primarily on the ratio of the wavelength and particle size, whereas the Gaussian beam size has a lesser impact on the calculation results for both methods. Our study provides critical conditions under which the Rayleigh regime is applicable. The calculation accuracy of the Rayleigh regime is also theoretically analyzed.