Enlightening complexity: route to strong localization

TL;DR

This paper explores how varying degrees of disorder in different dimensional systems can optimize Anderson localization, revealing defect states with subwavelength confinement in dielectric media.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of disorder-induced localization using RMT and first-principle calculations across 1D, 2D, and 3D systems, identifying an optimal disorder level for strongest localization.

Findings

Existence of an optimal disorder level for maximum localization

Localized modes can be defect states with subwavelength confinement

Disorder enables new subwavelength light localization methods

Abstract

By employing Random Matrix Theory (RMT) and first-principle calculations, we investigated the behavior of Anderson localization in 1D, 2D and 3D systems characterized by a varying disorder. In particular, we considered random binary layer sequences in 1D and structurally disordered photonic crystals in two and three dimensions. We demonstrated the existence of a unique optimal degree of disorder that yields the strongest localization possible. In this regime, localized modes are constituted by defect states, which can show subwavelength confinement properties. These results suggest that disorder offers a new avenue for subwavelength light localization in purely dielectric media.