Control of extreme light scattering in nanophotonic networks

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This project aims to apply ultrafast spectroscopy in characterising and controlling light in systems where light is strongly trapped by multiple scattering. The combination of complexity and nonlinear media opens up new directions of manipulating and using light in unconventional ways. Early experiments in our group have defined an original field of research which is fully explored in this PhD project. The student will combine state of the art optical experiments with design and optimisation of nanomaterials that exhibit both extreme scattering properties and a strongly nonlinear response. Ultrafast techniques will be applied to control the flow of light in extreme scattering systems as well as to study the fundamental underlying physics. Nonlinearity will be used as a perturbative tool for investigating the fundamental properties of complex light. We will use pump and probe spectroscopy to retrieve spatial and temporal properties of the system in the linear domain, addressing important open questions related to open transmission channels, mesoscopic interference corrections and localisation effects. An important tool in this studies will be the control of light using a spatial light modulator. Using combinations of extraordinary nonlinearity and wavefront shaping, the project aims to design systems with a strong effect on the incoming light with the ultimate aim of obtaining ultrafast optical switches, self-instability, optical chimeras, and neuromorphic optical processors.