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arXiv:1202.2729 · Physical Review Letters

Partial Nonlinear Reciprocity Breaking through Ultrafast Dynamics in a Random Photonic Medium

Otto L. Muskens, Paul Venn, Timmo van der Beek, Thomas Wellens

Published May 31, 2012• 25 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We demonstrate that ultrafast nonlinear dynamics gives rise to reciprocity breaking in a random photonic medium. Reciprocity breaking is observed via the suppression of coherent backscattering, a manifestation of weak localization of light. The effect is observed in a pump-probe configuration where the pump induces an ultrafast step change of the refractive index during the dwell time of the probe light in the material. The dynamical suppression of coherent backscattering is reproduced well by a multiple scattering Monte Carlo simulation. Ultrafast reciprocity breaking provides a distinct mechanism in nonlinear optical media, which opens up avenues for the active manipulation of mesoscopic transport, random lasers, and photon localization.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.108.223906

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We demonstrate that ultrafast nonlinear dynamics gives rise to reciprocity breaking in a random photonic medium. Reciprocity breaking is observed via the suppression of coherent backscattering, a manifestation of weak localization of light. The effect is observed in a pump-probe configuration where the pump induces an ultrafast step change of the refractive index during the dwell time of the probe light in the material. The dynamical suppression of coherent backscattering is reproduced well by a multiple scattering Monte Carlo simulation. Ultrafast reciprocity breaking provides a distinct mechanism in nonlinear optical media, which opens up avenues for the active manipulation of mesoscopic transport, random lasers, and photon localization.
We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast control over reciprocal light paths in random media. The combination of multiple scattering and coherence of light gives rise to strong interference contributions in light transport. An important interference correction to diffusion theory is the coherent backscattering effect, the constructive interference of reciprocal light paths in the backscattering direction. Our experiments show that the phase coherence between these paths can be suppressed by introducing dynamics faster than the photon dwell time. This adiabatic dephasing is of interest for its potential for controlling weak and strong localization and adiabatic storage and release of photonic information.
Reciprocity is a universal principle that has a profound impact on many areas of physics. A fundamental phenomenon in condensed-matter physics, optical physics, and acoustics, arising from reciprocity, is the constructive interference of quantum or classical waves which propagate along time-reversed paths in disordered media, leading to, for example, weak localization and metal-insulator transition. Previous studies have shown that such coherent effects are suppressed when reciprocity is broken. Here we experimentally show that by tuning a nonreciprocal phase we can coherently control complex coherent phenomena, rather than simply suppress them. In particular, we manipulate coherent backscattering of light, also known as weak localization. By utilizing a magneto-optical effect, we control the interference between time-reversed paths inside a multimode fiber with strong mode mixing, observe the optical analog of weak antilocalization, and realize a continuous transition from weak localization to weak antilocalization. Our results may open new possibilities for coherent control of waves in complex systems.
We investigated the dynamics of coherent backscattering cone and random laser in a disordered gain medium of ZnO powder. Theoretical fit to the coherent backscattering cone yields a transport mean free path l approximately equal to the probe wavelength λ, indicating that the scattering process is in the strong scattering regime. Supernarrow emissions from the laser are accompanied by enhancement and sharpening of the coherent backscattering cone. This enhanced and sharpened backscattering cone returns to a normal profile within 10–20ps, indicating an ultrafast gain lifetime in the medium, which is in good agreement with the time-resolved measurement of the random laser emissions.
We investigated random scattering of light in a disorder gain medium of ZnO powder using the pump-probe technique. Using a probe beam at (lambda) =390nm, the width ((theta) ) of the coherent backscattering peak from the ZnO powder is measured to be ~7.5 degree(s), thus the coherent scattering length l is approximately 1.2(lambda) ((theta) =(lambda) /2(pi) l) which is close to the strong scattering regime. When a pump beam ((lambda) =267nm) exceeds a certain excitation threshold, supernarrow emission peaks (bandwidth less than 1nm) emerged from the ZnO broad photoluminescence background. Concurrently, we also observed enhancement and sharpening of the coherent backscattering cone. Since light from the center of the backscatter cone experience the largest number of scatterings (i.e. longest gain length), this result is thus consistent with the random laser model that the supernarrow peak is due to amplification and stimulated emission of photon in the random gain medium. The time-resolved pump-probe measurement shows that the lifetime of the emission state above the lasing threshold is only a few picoseconds which is consistent with the interpretation that the supernarrow peaks are due to stimulated emission.
We investigated random scattering of light in a disorder gain medium of ZnO powder using the pump-probe technique. Using a probe beam at (lambda) =390nm, the width ((theta) ) of the coherent backscattering peak from the ZnO powder is measured to be ~7.5 degree(s), thus the coherent scattering length l is approximately 1.2(lambda) ((theta) =(lambda) /2(pi) l) which is close to the strong scattering regime. When a pump beam ((lambda) =267nm) exceeds a certain excitation threshold, supernarrow emission peaks (bandwidth less than 1nm) emerged from the ZnO broad photoluminescence background. Concurrently, we also observed enhancement and sharpening of the coherent backscattering cone. Since light from the center of the backscatter cone experience the largest number of scatterings (i.e. longest gain length), this result is thus consistent with the random laser model that the supernarrow peak is due to amplification and stimulated emission of photon in the random gain medium. The time-resolved pump-probe measurement shows that the lifetime of the emission state above the lasing threshold is only a few picoseconds which is consistent with the interpretation that the supernarrow peaks are due to stimulated emission.
Abstract We demonstrate the nonreciprocal propagation of optical pulses in a linear dispersive medium with a time-varying refractive index. The change of refractive index with time breaks the time-translation symmetry of the spatially homogeneous medium compelling it to be inherently nonreciprocal. A time-reversal asymmetric field ratio of the counter-propagating optical pulses along with a frequency shift leading to spectral nonreciprocity in such dynamic media have been observed. The findings have emerged a new avenue to realize nonreciprocal light flow in dynamically tuned integration-feasible photonic systems.