Direct observation of localized modes in an open disordered microwave cavity

David Laurent (1) , Olivier Legrand (1) , Fabrice Mortessagne (1)

1 LPMC - Laboratoire de physique de la matière condensée

We present measurements concerning the spatial patterns of localized modes in a two-dimensional open microwave cavity randomly filled with cylindrical dielectric scatterers. The robustness of these modes with respect to a modification of the boundaries of the scattering region is successfully established. From a comparison with numerically calculated modes, we can extract precise values of the localization length which are in agreement with the measured decay rates. These results constitute unambiguous signatures of the existence of strongly localized electromagnetic modes in open random media.

Mots clés: localization; microwave cavity; wave propagation in disordered media

Domaines: Autre [cond-mat.other]

David Laurent, Olivier Legrand, Fabrice Mortessagne. Direct observation of localized modes in an open disordered microwave cavity. 2007. ⟨hal-00133810v1⟩