We experimentally demonstrate the first method to focus light inside disordered photonic metamaterials. In such materials, scattering prevents light from forming a geometric focus. Instead of geometric optics, we used multi-path interference to make the scattering process itself concentrate light on a fluorescent nanoscale probe at the target position. Our method uses the fact that the disorder in a solid material is fixed in time. Therefore, even disordered light scattering is deterministic. Measurements of the probes fluorescence provided the information needed to construct a specific linear combination of hundreds of incident waves, which interfere constructively at the probe.

https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.16.000067

Vellekoop, I. M., E.G. van Putten, A. Lagendijk, and A. P. Mosk

2008

01/2008

Opt. Express

16

67-80

10.1364/OE.16.000067

disordered materials, focusing, interference, metamaterials, multi-padinterference, Wavefront shaping