The connection between elastic scattering cross sections and acoustic vibrations of an embedded nanoparticle

Arbitrary waves incident on a solid embedded nanoparticle are studied. The acoustic vibrational frequencies are shown to correspond to the poles of the scattering cross section in the complex frequency plane. The location of the poles is unchanged even if the incident wave is nonplanar. A second approach approximating the infinite matrix as a very large shell surrounding the nanoparticle provides an alternate way of predicting the mode frequencies. The wave function of the vibration is also provided. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)