ABSTRACT
Spherical geometry appears to be the most important geometry,
since in a first approximation many particles may be regarded as
spherical ones. On the other hand, any electrodynamics problems
concerning spherical particles can be solved analytically by analogy
with the well-known Mie solution for plane wave diffraction
on a sphere (Mie, 1908). All that gives a special importance
and generality to investigations of optical properties of spherical
particles. In this respect, in the present chapter we will not restrict
ourselves to plasmon properties of nanoparticles but will also
introduce main analytical results concerning arbitrary spherical
particles and analyze them with reference to different applications.
A special attention will be paid to the case of excitation of spherical
particles by point sources of light (molecules and quantum dots)
since this case is of particular significance for prospective high-tech
applications of nano-optics and nanophotonics.
