Deterministic mode representation of random stationary media for scattering problems

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Wave Scattering
• Statistical Physics

Background:

• Understanding light propagation in random media is crucial for various optical applications.
• Characterizing complex refractive index distributions poses significant challenges.
• Existing methods may not offer sufficient control over the properties of random media.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce Deterministic Mode Representation (DMR) for 3D random media.
• Demonstrate DMR's utility in designing and tuning novel random media.
• Analyze light scattering phenomena using the DMR framework.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel Deterministic Mode Representation (DMR) for statistically stationary random media.
• Applied DMR to decompose the refractive index distribution of a 3D random medium.
• Utilized DMR to analyze weak light scattering from a Gaussian Schell-model medium.

Main Results:

• DMR enables the design and fine-tuning of random media by adjusting deterministic mode weights.
• The decomposition effectively illustrates the contribution of individual modes to scattering.
• Quantified the influence of specific deterministic modes on the scattered far-field spectral density.

Conclusions:

• DMR provides a powerful tool for characterizing and engineering random media.
• The method offers new insights into the physics of light scattering in complex media.
• DMR facilitates the development of advanced optical materials with tailored properties.