Anderson localization in one-dimensional randomly disordered optical systems that are periodic on average

Journal Article · Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.47.13120· OSTI ID:6769954

McGurn, A R ^[1]; Christensen, K T; Mueller, F M ^[2]; Maradudin, A A ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008 (United States)
2. Center for Materials Science, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544 (United States)
3. Department of Physics, University of California, Irvine, California 92717 (United States)

We compute the frequency dependence of the localization length in a one-dimensional randomly disordered optical system, which on average is periodic, by studying the dependence of the transmissivity on the length of a finite random sample. Specifically, we consider a layered system of dielectric slabs with electromagnetic waves propagating perpendicular to the interfaces and compute the localization length for frequencies of these waves in and around the neighborhood of the band gaps in the photonic band structure of the average periodic system. The localization length is found to be very small in the gaps and much larger in the bands. We also compute the dependence of the localization length in the presence of dissipation (complex dielectric constant) and obtain a simple relationship, for frequencies of the electromagnetic waves in the allowed bands, between the localization length in the nondissipative system, the decay length in the nonrandom periodic system with dissipative terms, and the localization length in the presence of dissipation. For frequencies in the gaps the localization length appears to be insensitive to the presence of dissipation.

• OSTI ID: 6769954
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 47:20; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

665000* -- Physics of Condensed Matter-- (1992-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BAND THEORY
DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
LAYERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS