Switching and amplification in disordered lasing resonators

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel nonlinear optical effect in disordered lasing resonators, enabling controlled energy transfer and amplification akin to a light transistor, with potential applications in optical communication and control.

Contribution

It introduces a new physical mechanism for spatial and spectral energy transfer in disordered active media through mode coupling, acting as a switch and amplifier.

Findings

Energy transfer between modes can be controlled spatially and spectrally.

Disordered lasing resonators can function as optical switches and amplifiers.

The observed effects resemble a field-effect transistor for light.

Abstract

Controlling the flow of energy in a random medium is a research frontier with a wide range of applications. As recently demonstrated, the effect of disorder on the transmission of optical beams, may be partially compensated by wavefront shaping, but losing control over individual light paths. Here we report on a novel physical effect whereby energy is spatially and spectrally transferred inside a disordered active medium by the coupling between individual lasing modes. We show that is possible to transmit an optical resonance to a remote point by employing specific control over optical excitations. The observed nonlinear transport bears some analogies to a field-effect transistor for light, which acts as a switch and as an amplifier.