Condensation in disordered lasers: theory, 3D+1 simulations and experiments

TL;DR

This paper investigates how disordered lasers generate coherent emission through multiple scattering and wave localization, using a unified nonlinear Schrödinger equation model that aligns with experiments and 3D simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a single nonlinear Schrödinger equation framework that accurately models disordered laser emission, bridging theory, simulations, and experiments.

Findings

The model reproduces experimental results.

Simulations confirm the theoretical predictions.

Wave localization plays a key role in emission coherence.

Abstract

The complex processes underlying the generation of a coherent-like emission from the multiple-scattering of photons and wave-localization in the presence of structural disorder are still mostly un-explored. Here we show that a single nonlinear Schroedinger equation, playing the role of the Schawlow-Townes law for standard lasers, quantitatively reproduces experimental results and three-dimensional time-domain parallel simulations of a colloidal laser system.