Hybrid Superscattering Driven by Toroidal Dipole

Abstract

The dynamic toroidal dipole is a unique radiation source beyond standard multipoles. Since its first demonstration 15 years ago, it has attracted growing theoretical and experimental interest. Research mainly aims to enhance its weak electromagnetic coupling to free space. Here we report on a surprising finding that the toroidal dipole can, in fact, be engaged in the enhancement of electromagnetic scattering per se driving the so-called superscattering the regime of anomalously strong light scattering where the total cross-section of the effect exceeds the fundamental single-channel limit. We introduce a new paradigm of hybrid superscattering enabled by the toroidal dipole, which we implement with a dielectric scatterer of a simple geometry, and demonstrate for the first time that two complementary mechanisms of superscattering the Friedrich-Wintgen mechanism and resonance overlap can act synergistically to yield the substantially enhanced effect. Using coupled-dipole theory, full-wave numerical modeling and coupled-mode theory, we identify and quantify the dominant multipolar contributions and show that the normalized scattering cross-section exceeds the dipole limit due to a toroidal dipole-magnetic quadrupole interplay. These findings are supported by experimental measurements in the GHz frequency range using a dimer of ceramic cubes, which confirm both the spectral and spatial features of toroidal superscattering. Our results open a new powerful route to engineering strong light-matter interaction via peculiar toroidal modes (never observed before) with potential applications in toroidal superscattering metamaterials and metasurfaces, photonic devices, and sensors.