title: Spatial confinement of laser light in active random media
abstract: We have observed spatial confinement of laser light in micrometer-sized random media. The optical confinement is attributed to the disorder-induced scattering and interference. Our experimental data suggest that coherent amplification of the scattered light enhances the interference effect and helps the spatial confinement. Using the finite-difference time-domain method, we simulate lasing with coherent feedback in the active random medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Materials Research Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Seelig
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Chang