Numerical simulation on directional side scattering of V-shaped gold sphere-array nanoantennas

The directional side scattering of nanoantennas is significant to many research fields, such as biological sensing, and surface enhanced spectroscopy. The antennas mirror symmetry has to be broken relative to the light polarization for generating directional side scattering. Since the nanoantenna composed of nanoparticle array has flexible configuration, it is easy for the antenna to break mirror symmetry. The V-shaped antenna composed of gold nanosphere array was simulated with T-matrix method and the directivity of its side scattering was considered. We discussed the effects of some parameters on the directional side scattering of V-nanoantennas, such as the arm length with different number of nanospheres, opening angle, sphere radius, and distance between adjacent sphere centers. Our discussion shows the directional side scattering of V-nanoantennas composed of nanosphere array is tunable.