Light Scattering: Fundamentals and Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of light scattering by small particles, discussing the concepts of absorption, scattering, and extinction. The instructor explains the power flow across a closed surface around the scatterer and the different components of the Poynting vector. The lecture also delves into cross sections, efficiencies, and the effective optical size of particles compared to their physical size. The electromagnetic field distribution and the differential cross section for light scattering in different directions are explored, providing insights into the behavior of light interacting with particles.