Temperature-controlled light diffusion in random media

Year: 2001

Authors: Wiersma D., Colocci M., Righini R., Aliev F.

Autors Affiliation: European Laboratory for non-Linear Spectroscopy and Instituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, 50125 Florence, Italy; Department of Physics, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, 00931, Puerto Rico

Abstract: We have studied diffusion of light in a disordered medium of which the scattering strength could be tuned via temperature. Such a tunable disordered system was realized by infiltrating a macro porous glass with a liquid crystal. In particular, we have measured the diffusion constant in time-resolved transmission measurements on macroporous silica glass infiltrated with liquid crystal 8CB. The measured temperature dependence of the diffusion constant can be understood qualitatively from the behavior of liquid crystals in confined geometries, and provides an alternative method to resolve liquid crystal phase transitions in such structures. The observed effect allows for control of the scattering strength in multiple light scattering studies and can be regarded as the optical counterpart of negative temperature coefficient resistivity in electronics.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW B

Volume: 64 (14)      Pages from: 144208  to: 144208

KeyWords: nematic liquid-crystal; strongly scattering; media; weak localization; coherent backscattering; glass; silicon dioxide, article; diffusion; geometry; light scattering; liquid crystal; mathematical analysis; mathematical computing; optical resolution; phase transition; porosity; qualitative diagnosis; structure analysis; temperature measurement; temperature sensitivity
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.64.144208

Citations: 48
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