Nonlinear Optics and Laser Emission through Random Media

Foreword by Prof. Dr. Claudio Conti.- Acknowledgements.- 1 Introduction.- 1.1 Light and Nonlinearity.- 1.2 Light and Disorder.- 1.3 Overview of this thesis.- Part I: Non-resonant systems.- 2 Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 2.1 Introduction.-  2.2 Local Case.- 2.3 Nonlocal case.- 3 Weakly Disordered Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 The Model.- 3.3 Soliton Perturbation Theory in Nonlocal Media.- 3.4 Application to the Disordered Nonlocal NLS.- 3.5 Nonparaxial Corrections.- 4 Disordered Nonlinear Schroedinger Equation.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Anderson Localization.- 4.3 The Model.- 4.4 Highly Nonlocal Limit.- 4.5 Instability of Anderson States.- 4.6 Nonlocal Responses.- 4.7 Numerical Results.- 4.8 Beating of Anderson Localizations.- 5 Scale-Free Nonlinearity in Disordered Ferroelectrics.- 5.1 Diffusive Nonlinearity in Disordered Ferroelectrics.- 5.2 Scale-Free Solitons.- 5.3 Scale-Free Instability.- Part II: Resonant systems.- 6 The Maxwell-Bloch equations.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Generalities.- 6.3 The Numerical Approach.- 6.4 The Soliton Solution of the MB Equations.- 7 Disordered Maxwell-Bloch Equations.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Soliton Perturbation Theory in Resonant Media.- 7.3 Anderson Localization in Resonant Media.- 8 Glassy Behavior of Laser.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 The Model.- 8.3 Averaged Free Energy.- 8.4 Complexity.- The Phase Diagram.- 9 The Granular Laser.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Introduction to Random Laser.- 9.3 Experimental Setup and Procedures.- 9.4 The Diffusive Random Laser.- 9.5 The Granular Random Laser.-  10 Conclusions.

Dr. Viola Folli is a Post Doctoral scientist working on the theory of nonlinear disordered systems, and on experiments on Random Lasers in the lab of the Institute for Complex Systems, led by Prof. Dr. Claudio Conti, at the Department of Physics of the University of Rome - La Sapienza. The program encompasses applying paradigms and methods from the science of complex systems to light propagation, and investigating the development of complexity and self-organization in nonlinear waves.

From the reviews:"This 117 pages long monograph from the series 'Springer theses', 'a selection of the very best Ph.D. thesis from around the world and across the physical sciences', treats the interplay between light and matter in the interaction with intense fields taking into account the rule of nonlinearity and disorder. ... The book is intended for newcomers in this field as well as for professionals who are interested in more detailed background information, and could stimulate new developments." (Georg Hebermehl, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1259, 2013)