Mercredi 15 novembre 2023. 11h.

Mesoscopic physics of photons

Hui Cao
Department of Applied Physics, Yale University

Location : Amphi 15 – Sorbonne université – 4 place Jussieu – 75005 Paris

A coffee will be offered starting at 10:45 am, the seminar will start at 11am

Abstract – Mesoscopic physics encompasses a broad spectrum of interference effects associated with the coherent wave propagation in complex systems. While this field initially emerged from investigations into electron transport, there are significant benefits to exploring the mesoscopic transport of photons. Through the manipulation of a coherent light’s wavefront, we are able to govern the propagation of light within randomly scattering media. For instance, this allows us to enhance light transmission or effectively deliver optical energy to targets by controlling the interference patterns of scattered waves.

Another prominent manifestation of wave interference is Anderson localization, which signifies the halt of diffusive wave propagation in disordered systems. Despite four decades of extensive research, the question of whether three-dimensional Anderson localization of electromagnetic waves exists has remained unanswered. Recent progress in hardware-accelerated numerical computation allows us to conduct comprehensive, large-scale simulations. Our findings affirm the non-existence of three-dimensional localization of vector electromagnetic waves in disordered dielectric systems, while highlighting the presence of Anderson localization in disordered metallic systems. Lastly, I will delve into the interplay between light localization and coherent amplification, which leads to the phenomenon of random lasing.

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