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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Fabrication and Characterization of Disordered Polymer Optical Fibers for Transverse Anderson Localization of Light
Published on: July 29, 2013
Anderson localizations and photonic band-tail states observed in compositionally disordered platform
Myungjae Lee1,2,3, Jeongkug Lee1,3, Sunghwan Kim4
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Anderson localization in random structures is an intriguing physical phenomenon, for which experimental verifications are far behind theoretical predictions. We report the first experimental confirmations of photonic band-tail states and a complete transition of Anderson localization. An optically activated photonic crystal alloy platform enables the acquisition of extensive experimental data exclusively on pure eigenstates, revealing direct evidence of band-tail states and Anderson localization transition within the band-tail states. Analyses of both experimental and simulated data lead to a comprehensive picture of photon localization that is highly consistent with theories by Anderson and others. We believe that our results provide a strong experimental foundation upon which both the fundamental understandings and application possibility of Anderson localization can be promoted significantly.
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