No Arabic abstract
Transmission eigenchannels and associated eigenvalues, that give a full account of wave propagation in random media, have recently emerged as a major theme in theoretical and applied optics. Here we demonstrate, both analytically and numerically, that in quasi one-dimensional ($1$D) diffusive samples, their behavior is governed mostly by the asymmetry in the reflections of the sample edges rather than by the absolute values of the reflection coefficients themselves. We show that there exists a threshold value of the asymmetry parameter, below which high transmission eigenchannels exist, giving rise to a singularity in the distribution of the transmission eigenvalues, $rho({cal T}rightarrow 1)sim(1-{cal T})^{-frac{1}{2}}$. At the threshold, $rho({cal T})$ exhibits critical statistics with a distinct singularity $sim(1-{cal T})^{-frac{1}{3}}$; above it the high transmission eigenchannels disappear and $rho({cal T})$ vanishes for ${cal T}$ exceeding a maximal transmission eigenvalue. We show that such statistical behavior of the transmission eigenvalues can be explained in terms of effective cavities (resonators), analogous to those in which the states are trapped in $1$D strong Anderson localization. In particular, the $rho ( mathcal{T}) $-transition can be mapped onto the shuffling of the resonator with perfect transmittance from the sample center to the edge with stronger reflection. We also find a similar transition in the distribution of resonant transmittances in $1$D layered samples. These results reveal a physical connection between high transmission eigenchannels in diffusive systems and $1$D strong Anderson localization. They open up a fresh opportunity for practically useful application: controlling the transparency of opaque media by tuning their coupling to the environment.
Transmission eigenchannels are building blocks of coherent wave transport in diffusive media, and selective excitation of individual eigenchannels can lead to diverse transport behavior. An essential yet poorly understood property is the transverse spatial profile of each eigenchannel, which is critical for coupling into and out of it. Here, we discover that the transmission eigenchannels of a disordered slab possess localized incident and outgoing profiles, even in the diffusive regime far from Anderson localization. Such transverse localization arises from a combination of reciprocity, local coupling of spatial modes, and nonlocal correlations of scattered waves. Experimentally, we observe signatures of such localization despite finite illumination area. Our results reveal the intrinsic characteristics of transmission eigenchannels in the open slab geometry, commonly used for applications in imaging and energy transfer through turbid media.
Selective excitation of a diffusive systems transmission eigenchannels enables manipulation of its internal energy distribution. The fluctuations and correlations of the eigenchannels spatial profiles, however, remain unexplored so far. Here we show that the depth profiles of high-transmission eigenchannels exhibit low realization-to-realization fluctuations. Furthermore, our experimental and numerical studies reveal the existence of inter-channel correlations, which are significant for low-transmission eigenchannels. Because high-transmission eigenchannels are robust and independent from other eigenchannels, they can reliably deliver energy deep inside turbid media.
The optical memory effect has emerged as a powerful tool for imaging through multiple-scattering media; however, the finite angular range of the memory effect limits the field of view. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that selective coupling of incident light into a high-transmission channel increases the angular memory-effect range. This enhancement is attributed to the robustness of the high-transmission channels against perturbations such as sample tilt or wavefront tilt. Our work shows that the high-transmission channels provide an enhanced field of view for memory effect-based imaging through diffusive media.
When a monochromatic electromagnetic plane-wave arrives at the flat interface between its transparent host (i.e., the incidence medium) and an amplifying (or gainy) second medium, the incident beam splits into a reflected wave and a transmitted wave. In general, there is a sign ambiguity in connection with the k-vector of the transmitted beam, which requires at the outset that one decide whether the transmitted beam should grow or decay as it recedes from the interface. The question has been posed and addressed most prominently in the context of incidence at large angles from a dielectric medium of high refractive index onto a gain medium of lower refractive index. Here, the relevant sign of the transmitted k-vector determines whether the evanescent-like waves within the gain medium exponentially grow or decay away from the interface. We examine this and related problems in a more general setting, where the incident beam is taken to be a finite-duration wavepacket whose footprint in the interfacial plane has a finite width. Cases of reflection from and transmission through a gainy slab of finite-thickness as well as those associated with a semi-infinite gain medium will be considered. The broadness of the spatio-temporal spectrum of our incident wavepacket demands that we develop a general strategy for deciding the signs of all the k-vectors that enter the gain medium. Such a strategy emerges from a consideration of the causality constraint that is naturally imposed on both the reflected and transmitted wavepackets.
We study the focusing of light through random photonic materials using wavefront shaping. We explore a novel approach namely binary amplitude modulation. To this end, the light incident to a random photonic medium is spatially divided into a number of segments. We identify the segments that give rise to fields that are out of phase with the total field at the intended focus and assign these a zero amplitude, whereas the remaining segments maintain their original amplitude. Using 812 independently controlled segments of light, we find the intensity at the target to be 75 +/- 6 times enhanced over the average intensity behind the sample. We experimentally demonstrate focusing of light through random photonic media using both an amplitude only mode liquid crystal spatial light modulator and a MEMS-based spatial light modulator. Our use of Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS)-based digital micromirror devices for the control of the incident light field opens an avenue to high speed implementations of wavefront shaping.