Quantitative and Isolated Measurement of Far-Field Light Scattering by a Single Nanostructure

Optical scattering at the nanoscale continues to lead to physical insights and various applications, including optical antennas and metamaterials and metasurfaces. The differential light-scattering cross section of a $s\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}g\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}l\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}e$ nanostructure, however, has remained elusive, despite being the fundamental parameter for characterizing scattering properties. This article presents quantitative, isolated measurements of the differential cross section and its far-field distribution for a lone gold nanorod. Simulations and modeling are in excellent agreement with the results, showing the phenomena and mechanisms that must be taken into account when engineering devices.