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Photocount statistics in mesoscopic optics.

S Balog¹, P Zakharov, F Scheffold

¹Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.

Physical Review Letters

|October 10, 2006

Summary

Mesoscopic fluctuations alter photocount statistics of coherent light transmitted through random media. This effect, observable in light scattering, depends on the number of photocounts relative to sample conductance.

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Area of Science:

Optics and photonics
Condensed matter physics
Statistical mechanics

Background:

Coherent light scattering in random media is crucial for understanding wave propagation.
Photocount statistics reveal fundamental properties of light and its interaction with matter.
Mesoscopic fluctuations represent deviations from classical wave behavior in disordered systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the influence of mesoscopic fluctuations on the photocount statistics of coherent light.
To observe how light scattering in a random medium modifies the statistical distribution of detected photons.
To determine the conditions under which these fluctuations become significant.

Main Methods:

Experimental observation of coherent light transmission through a random medium (suspension of small dielectric spheres).
Analysis of photocount distributions of incident and transmitted light.
Correlation of photocount statistics with the average number of photocounts (n) and the effective dimensionless conductance (g) of the sample.

Main Results:

The Poisson photocount distribution of incident coherent light broadens upon transmission.
An additional asymmetry is introduced into the photocount distribution after scattering.
These modifications are significant when the average number of photocounts (n) approaches or exceeds the effective dimensionless conductance (g).

Conclusions:

Mesoscopic fluctuations demonstrably impact the photocount statistics of coherent light in random media.
The observed changes in photocount distribution are a direct consequence of wave interference effects in disordered systems.
The interplay between photocount number and sample conductance governs the observability of these mesoscopic effects.

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