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Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Quantum State Engineering of Light with Continuous-wave Optical Parametric Oscillators
Published on: May 30, 2014
Origin of Quasinormal Modes in Semi-Open Systems
Leonardo Solidoro1,2, Sam Patrick3, Silke Weinfurtner1,2,4
1University of Nottingham, School of Mathematical Sciences, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Astrophysical black holes are open systems which, when perturbed, radiate quasinormal modes (QNMs) to infinity. By contrast, laboratory analogs are necessarily finite sized, presenting a potential obstacle to exciting QNMs in experiments. We explore how the QNM spectrum of a toy-model black hole changes when enclosed by a partially reflecting wall with adjustable reflectivity. Our results reveal a continuous connection between the QNM spectra of open and finite-sized systems. Additionally, we demonstrate that QNMs in this setup are easily excited by incoherent background noise. This Letter opens new avenues for studying QNMs of black holes and compact objects in laboratory settings, where finite-size effects and noise are unavoidable.
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