Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group
  • 2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference
  • OSA Technical Digest (Optica Publishing Group, 2019),
  • paper ef_3_2

Observation of Branched Flow of light

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

The evolution of coherent waves in two-dimensional systems with a random potential can give rise to an interesting phenomenon known as Branched Flow. In this process, a wave scatters from a weak random potential with correlation length longer than the wavelength, and forms focused channels that keep dividing as the wave propagates, creating a pattern resembling the branches of a tree. This phenomenon was observed for electrons [1–3], for a specific example of microwaves [4] and for ocean waves [5], but thus far never for light at optical frequencies. Furthermore, the statistical features of branched flow were predicted theoretically but were never observed in any experimental system. Here, we present the first observation of branched flow in optics, prove that the experiments represent branched flow, and study the statistical features. In our experiments, we couple an optical beam to a thin liquid soap film and observe its evolution within this thin membrane. The light experiences scattering from thickness variations in the soap film, which acts as a two-dimensional medium with a random potential. The beam propagates and scatters from the random thickness variations, forming focused branches that keep dividing, ending up in a pattern that resembles the branches of a tree, as shown in Fig.1a. To view the thickness variations directly, we construct a white light microscope illuminating the thin soap film from above, and observe the colorful map shown in Fig. 1b. The colors in Fig. 1b are true colors, and they emerge due to the reflection of white light from the thin soap film, indicating the local thickness (Fig.1c).

© 2019 IEEE

PDF Article
More Like This
Observation of Branched Flow of light

Anatoly Patsyk, Miguel A. Bandres, Uri Sivan, and Mordechai Segev
FTu3D.1 CLEO: QELS_Fundamental Science (CLEO:FS) 2019

Observation of the fundamental length scale of Branched Flow of light

Shruti J. Saiji and Miguel A. Bandres
FM1J.4 CLEO: QELS_Fundamental Science (CLEO:FS) 2021

Multi-wavelength branched flow of light

Seungsu Lee, Hansol Kim, and Yoonchan Jeong
NoTu4B.5 Novel Optical Materials and Applications (NOMA) 2021

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved