Localization of electromagnetic waves in a two-dimensional random medium.

Abstract

Motivated by previous investigations on the radiative effects of the electric dipoles embedded in structured cavities, localization of electromagnetic waves in two dimensions is studied ab initio for a system consisting of many randomly distributed two-dimensional dipoles. A set of self-consistent equations, incorporating all orders of multiple scattering of the electromagnetic waves, is derived from first principles and then solved numerically for the total electromagnetic field. The results show that spatially localized electromagnetic waves are possible in such a simple but realistic disordered system. When localization occurs, a coherent behavior appears and is revealed as a unique property differentiating localization from either the residual absorption or the attenuation effects.