Classification of Regimes of Wave Transport in Quasi-One-Dimensional Non-Conservative Random Media

Abstract

Passive quasi-one-dimensional random media are known to exhibit one of the three regimes of transport - ballistic, diffusive or localized - depending on the system size. In contrast, in non-conservative systems, the physical parameter space also includes the gain/absorption length scale. Here, by studying the relationships between the transport mean free path, the localization length, and the gain/absorption length, we enumerate 15 regimes of wave propagation through quasi-one-dimensional random media with gain or absorption. The results are presented graphically in the form of a phase diagram. Of particular experimental importance in an absorbing random medium, we identify three different regimes that bear the signatures of the localized regime of the passive counterpart. We also review the literature and, when possible, assign experimental systems to a particular regime on the diagram.

Meeting Name

Physics of Quantum Electronics. Selected Papers from the 40th Winter Colloquium on the Physics of Quantum Electronics (2010: Jan. 3-7)

Department(s)

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Anderson Localization; Experimental System; Gain/absorption; Length Scale; Localization Length; Non Conservative Systems; Physical Parameters; Quasi-one-dimensional; Random Lasers; Random Media; Random Medium; System Size; Transport Mean Free Path; Wave Propagation In Random Media; Wave Transport, Electron Optics; Laser Beams; Phase Diagrams; Quantum Electronics; Wave Propagation, Random Processes

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0950-0340

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2010 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2010

Link to Full Text

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