A dressed polarizability framework for interface-coupled meta-atoms and large-scale metasurfaces

Abstract: The modeling of large collections of interacting meta-atoms remains a central challenge in photonics because it requires the simultaneous treatment of complex scatterer geometries, multiple scattering, and heterogeneous environments. Here, we introduce the dressed Global Polarizability Matrix (dGPM), a reduced-order electromagnetic framework in which complex meta-atoms are represented by compact scattering operators that explicitly incorporate the influence of nearby interfaces. The dGPM accurately reconstructs near- and far-field electromagnetic responses for interface-coupled structures, including geometries beyond the practical applicability of conventional T-matrix approaches. The framework naturally combines interface-coupled and free-space scatterers within a unified multiple-scattering formalism and enables simulations of large ordered and disordered metasurfaces. More broadly, the dGPM extends operator-based electromagnetic modeling to heterogeneous photonic environments while preserving a compact scatterer-based representation, providing an efficient framework for the simulation and design of large-scale photonic systems.