Self-Similar Modes of Coherent Diffusion

Self-similar solutions of the coherent diffusion equation are derived and measured. The set of real similarity solutions is generalized by the introduction of a nonuniform phase surface, based on the elegant Gaussian modes of optical diffraction. In an experiment of light storage in a gas of diffusi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2010-08
Main Authors: Firstenberg, O, London, P, Yankelev, D, Pugatch, R, Shuker, M, Davidson, N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Diffusion
Light diffraction
Self-similarity
Similarity
Similarity solutions
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Self-similar solutions of the coherent diffusion equation are derived and measured. The set of real similarity solutions is generalized by the introduction of a nonuniform phase surface, based on the elegant Gaussian modes of optical diffraction. In an experiment of light storage in a gas of diffusing atoms, a complex initial condition is imprinted, and its diffusion dynamics is monitored. The self-similarity of both the amplitude and the phase pattern is demonstrated, and an algebraic decay associated with the mode order is measured. Notably, as opposed to a regular diffusion spreading, a self-similar contraction of a special subset of the solutions is predicted and observed.
ISSN:2331-8422
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.1008.2654