Scattering of electromagnetic radiation by a metal nanoparticle

The scattering cross section of electromagnetic radiation by a small spherical metal particle has been calculated in the framework of the standard kinetic theory in a dipole approximation. The calculation has been performed for relatively small (∼10 nm) particles, which allows the skin effect to be ignored. A mechanism of mixed specular-diffuse reflection of conduction electrons from the particle surface is considered. It is established that, at certain angles of scattering, the mechanism of magnetic-dipole scattering becomes dominating. The influence of kinetic effects on the differential scattering cross section is analyzed.