Mie Scattering Calculator

Calculate light scattering by spherical particles using Mie theory approximations

Particle Radius (nm): *

Wavelength (nm): *

Particle Refractive Index:

Medium Refractive Index:

Particle Concentration (particles/mL): (optional)

About Mie Scattering

Mie scattering describes the scattering of electromagnetic radiation by spherical particles. It is a general solution that includes Rayleigh scattering (small particles) and geometric optics (large particles) as limiting cases.

Scattering Regimes:

x << 1 (Rayleigh): Qsca proportional to x^4, blue sky
x ~ 1 (Mie): Complex resonances, colored halos
x >> 1 (Geometric): Qext approaches 2, rainbows

Applications:

Atmospheric optics (clouds, fog, haze)
Nanoparticle characterization
Biomedical imaging (tissue optics)
Remote sensing