Nonlinear Optics and Laser Emission through Random Media

2012
ISBN: 978-94-017-8206-7
Verlag: Springer Netherlands

Buch, Englisch, 120 Seiten, Previously published in hardcover, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 213 g

Reihe: Springer Theses

Disorder is everywhere, inherently present in nature, and is commonly believed to be a synonymous with disturbance. As a consequence, the methodical and customary study of the dynamics of the electromagnetic field, both in the linear and nonlinear optical regimes, leans to rule out it from the treatment.
On the other hand, nonlinearity enriches the physical disciplines and brings them closer to reality with respect to the linear approximation. Nonlinearity allows to stimulate a wide and rich ensemble of optical responses that beautifies the role of matter in the active processes with electromagnetic fields.
Independently of each other, both of these mechanisms foster localization of light. What happens when light enlightens their synergistic interaction?
When pushed together, light, disorder and nonlinearity make new and intriguing phenomena emerge. This text provides a comprehensive investigation of the role of disorder in the nonlinear optical propagation both in transparent media and lasers.  Eventually, disorder promotes and enhances complex nonlinear dynamics opening new perspectives in applied research driven by the processes of localization of the electromagnetic field. The first experimental study of laser emission in granular media unveils how randomness magnifies and largely affect laser-matter interactions.
Viola Folli in her research work touches and deepens the leading milestones of the new science named Complex Photonics.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Folli, Viola

Fachgebiete

• Technische Wissenschaften Technik Allgemein Technische Optik, Lasertechnologie
• Technische Wissenschaften Sonstige Technologien | Angewandte Technik Lasertechnologie, Holographie
• Naturwissenschaften Physik Elektromagnetismus Quantenoptik, Nichtlineare Optik, Laserphysik
• Technische Wissenschaften Maschinenbau | Werkstoffkunde Technische Mechanik | Werkstoffkunde Materialwissenschaft: Elektronik, Optik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Foreword by Prof. Dr. Claudio Conti.- Acknowledgements.- 1 Introduction.- 1.1 Light and Nonlinearity.- 1.2 Light and Disorder.- 1.3 Overview of this thesis.- Part I: Non-resonant systems.- 2 Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 2.1 Introduction.-  2.2 Local Case.- 2.3 Nonlocal case.- 3 Weakly Disordered Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 The Model.- 3.3 Soliton Perturbation Theory in Nonlocal Media.- 3.4 Application to the Disordered Nonlocal NLS.- 3.5 Nonparaxial Corrections.- 4 Disordered Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Anderson Localization.- 4.3 The Model.- 4.4 Highly Nonlocal Limit.- 4.5 Instability of Anderson States.- 4.6 Nonlocal Responses.- 4.7 Numerical Results.- 4.8 Beating of Anderson Localizations.- 5 Scale-Free Nonlinearity in Disordered Ferroelectrics.- 5.1 Diffusive Nonlinearity in Disordered Ferroelectrics.- 5.2 Scale-Free Solitons.- 5.3 Scale-Free Instability.- Part II: Resonant systems.- 6 The Maxwell-Bloch equations.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Generalities.- 6.3 The Numerical Approach.- 6.4 The Soliton Solution of the MB Equations.- 7 Disordered Maxwell-Bloch Equations.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Soliton Perturbation Theory in Resonant Media.- 7.3 Anderson Localization in Resonant Media.- 8 Glassy Behavior of Laser.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 The Model.- 8.3 Averaged Free Energy.- 8.4 Complexity.- The Phase Diagram.- 9 The Granular Laser.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Introduction to Random Laser.- 9.3 Experimental Setup and Procedures.- 9.4 The Diffusive Random Laser.- 9.5 The Granular Random Laser.-  10 Conclusions.

Über Autor(innen)

Dr. Viola Folli is a Post Doctoral scientist working on the theory of nonlinear disordered systems, and on experiments on Random Lasers in the lab of the Institute for Complex Systems, led by Prof. Dr. Claudio Conti, at the Department of Physics of the University of Rome – La Sapienza. The program encompasses applying paradigms and methods from the science of complex systems to light propagation, and investigating the development of complexity and self-organization in nonlinear waves.