Suppression of elastic scattering resonances in microdroplets seeded with nm-sized latex particles

Resonance structure in elastic scattering (at approximately 90 deg from the direction of forward scattering) has been measured for evaporating micron-sized glycerol droplets suspended in an electrodynamic trap. Seeding the droplets with polystyrene latex particles having diameter 30 nm <EQ d <EQ 105 nm broadens and attenuates the highest Q (Q approximately equals 104-105) resonances. Further, regardless of whether resonance conditions are satisfied, the addition of latex particles causes fluctuations of the elastic scattering with amplitude up to approximately equals 10% of the total signal.