title: Systematic comparison of the discrete dipole approximation and the finite difference time domain method for large dielectric scatterers.
abstract: We compare the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) and the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method for simulating light scattering of spheres in a range of size parameters x up to 80 and refractive indices m up to 2. Using parallel implementations of both methods, we require them to reach a certain accuracy goal for scattering quantities and then compare their performance. We show that relative performance sharply depends on m. The DDA is faster for smaller m, while the FDTD for larger values of m. The break-even point lies at m = 1.4. We also compare the performance of both methods for a few particular biological cells, resulting in the same conclusions as for optically soft spheres.
authors: Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. myurkin@science.uva.nl
authors: Maxim A
authors: MA
authors: Yurkin
authors: Alfons G
authors: AG
authors: Hoekstra
authors: R Scott
authors: RS
authors: Brock
authors: Jun Q
authors: JQ
authors: Lu
mesh_terms: D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry / Q000379:methods*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity