title: Disorder-induced single-mode transmission.
abstract: Localized states trap waves propagating in a disordered potential and play a crucial role in Anderson localization, which is the absence of diffusion due to disorder. Some localized states are barely coupled with neighbours because of differences in wavelength or small spatial overlap, thus preventing energy leakage to the surroundings. This is the same degree of isolation found in the homogeneous core of a single-mode optical fibre. Here we show that localized states of a disordered optical fibre are single mode: the transmission channels possess a high degree of resilience to perturbation and invariance with respect to the launch conditions. Our experimental approach allows identification and characterization of the single-mode transmission channels in a disordered matrix, demonstrating low losses and densely packed single modes. These disordered and wavelength-sensitive channels may be exploited to de-multiplex different colours at different locations.
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena, 291 00161 Roma, Italia.|Department of Physics, University Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2762-9533
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abaie
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena, 291 00161 Roma, Italia.|Department of Physics, University Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro 5, I-00185 Roma, Italy.|Institut für Physik, Universität Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schirmacher
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for High Technology Materials, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9308-6813
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mafi
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena, 291 00161 Roma, Italia.|CNR NANOTEC-Institute of Nanotechnology c/o Campus Ecotekne, University of Salento, Via Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonetti