Demonstration of Zero Optical Backscattering from Single Nanoparticles

We present the first experimental demonstration of zero backscattering from nanoparticles at optical frequencies as originally discussed by Kerker et al. Kerker , M. ; Wang , D. ; Giles , C. J. Opt. Soc. A 1983 , 73 , 765 . GaAs pillars were fabricated on a fused silica substrate and the spectrum of the backscattered radiation was measured in the wavelength range 600-1000 nm. Suppression of backscattering occurred at ~725 nm, agreeing with calculations based on the discrete dipole approximation. Particles with zero backscattering provide new functionality for metamaterials and optical antennas.