Probing Anderson localization of light by weak non-linear effects

Breakdown of wave transport due to strong disorder is a universal phenomenon known as Anderson localization (AL). It occurs because of the macroscopic population of reciprocal multiple scattering paths, which in three dimensional systems happens at a critical scattering strength. Intensities on thes...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: T Sperling, W Bührer, M Ackermann, C M Aegerter, G Maret
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2014-01-01
Series:New Journal of Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/16/11/112001
Description
Summary:Breakdown of wave transport due to strong disorder is a universal phenomenon known as Anderson localization (AL). It occurs because of the macroscopic population of reciprocal multiple scattering paths, which in three dimensional systems happens at a critical scattering strength. Intensities on these random loops should thus be highly increased relative to those of a diffusive sample. In order to highlight localized modes of light, we exploit the optical nonlinearities of TiO _2 . Power dependent and spectrally resolved time of flight distribution measurements in transmission through slabs of TiO _2 powders at various turbidities reveal that mostly long loops are affected by nonlinearities and that the deviations from diffusive transport observed at long times are due to these localized modes. Our data are a first step in the experimental investigation of the interplay between nonlinear effects and AL in 3D.
ISSN:1367-2630