A scattering theory of lasing and absorption in arbitrary complex and random systems is presented, leading to tractable computational methods to describe multimode lasing, as well as time-reversed lasing and coherent control of absorption.
In the time-reversed counterpart to laser emission, incident coherent optical fields are perfectly absorbed within a resonator that contains a loss medium instead of a gain medium. The incident fields and frequency must coincide with those of the corresponding laser with gain. We demonstrated this effect for two counterpropagating incident fields in a silicon cavity, showing that scattering [corrected] can be modulated [corrected] by two orders of magnitude, the maximum predicted by theory for our experimental setup. In addition, we showed that absorption can be reduced substantially by varying the relative phase of the incident fields. The device, termed a "coherent perfect absorber," functions as an absorptive interferometer, with potential practical applications in integrated optics.
The spatial formation of coherent random laser modes in strongly scattering disordered random media is a central feature in the understanding of the physics of random lasers. We derive a quantum field theoretical method for random lasing in disordered samples of complex amplifying Mie resonators which is able to provide self-consistently and free of any fit parameter the full set of transport characteristics at and above the laser phase transition. The coherence length and the correlation volume respectively is derived as an experimentally measurable scale of the phase transition at the laser threshold. We find that the process of stimulated emission in extended disordered arrangements of active Mie resonators is ultimately connected to time-reversal symmetric multiple scattering in the sense of photonic transport while the diffusion coefficient is finite. A power law is found for the random laser mode diameters in stationary state with increasing pump intensity.
In the last decade Anderson Localization of Light and Random Lasing has attracted a variety of interest in the community of condensed matter theory. The fact that a system so inartificial as a thin layer consisting of dust particles, which have amplifying properties, can produce coherent laser emission, is of a simple elegance, which promises new insights in fundamental physics. There is no need of an external feedback mechanism, like in the system of a conventional laser. Whereas several attempts try to enter the subject numerically by considering cavity approximations, this thesis is concerned with building a microscopically self-consistent theory of random lasing. Designing this method, we had to study light localization effects in random media including absorption and gain. Incorporating interference effects by means of Cooperon contributions we derived Anderson localized states for passive media. Mapping this on a system which consists of laser active Mie-scatterers in a passive medium, we found that by incorporation of the Cooperon, we loose the Anderson localization, but the system is weakly localized, which is sufficient for population inversion and stimulated emission.