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Anderson localization of light

A little disorder is just right

As with most things in life, some disorder can cause unexpected new phenomena. But when it comes to disorder-induced Anderson localization of light in a photonic crystal, simulations suggest that moderation may be the best policy.

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Figure 1: Transition from Bloch-mode lasing to Anderson lasing with increasing disorder in a photonic crystal.

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López, C. A little disorder is just right. Nature Phys 4, 755–756 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1085

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