Ray modes from strong random scattering in media with degenerate linear spectrum

Abstract

In the presence of strong random scattering the behavior of photons in a photonic crystal with a degenerate spectrum is quite different from Anderson localization of photons in a single band: it creates geometric states rather than confining the photons to an area of the size of the localization length. This effect can be understood as angular confinement, where the photons of a local light source can propagate only in certain directions. The directions are determined by the spectral boundaries. Thus, the system’s properties on the shortest scales determine the behavior of the photon propagation on the largest scales.