Transmission of quantum entanglement through a random medium

We study the high-dimensional entanglement of a photon pair transmitted through a random medium. We show that multiple scattering in combination with the subsequent selection of only a fraction of outgoing modes reduces the average entanglement of an initially maximally entangled two-photon state. Entanglement corresponding to a random pure state is obtained when the number of modes accessible in transmission is much less than the number of modes in the incident light. An amount of entanglement approaching that of the incident light can be recovered by accessing a larger number of transmitted modes. In contrast, a pair of photons in a separable state does not gain any entanglement when transmitted through a random medium.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Text slightly revise

Eigenvalue distributions of large Euclidean random matrices for waves in random media

We study probability distributions of eigenvalues of Hermitian and non-Hermitian Euclidean random matrices that are typically encountered in the problems of wave propagation in random media.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figure

Mutual information between reflected and transmitted speckle images

We study theoretically the mutual information between reflected and transmitted speckle patterns produced by wave scattering from disordered media. The mutual information between the two speckle images recorded on an array of N detection points (pixels) takes the form of long-range intensity correlation loops, that we evaluate explicitly as a function of the disorder strength and the Thouless number g. Our analysis, supported by extensive numerical simulations, reveals a competing effect of cross-sample and surface spatial correlations. An optimal distance between pixels is proven to exist, that enhances the mutual information by a factor Ng compared to the single-pixel scenario.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, + S

Broadband Coherent Enhancement of Transmission and Absorption in Disordered Media

We study the optimal diffusive transmission and absorption of broadband or polychromatic light in a disordered medium. By introducing matrices describing broadband transmission and reflection, we formulate an extremal eigenvalue problem where the optimal input wavefront is given by the corresponding eigenvector. We show analytically that a single wavefront can exhibit strongly enhanced total transmission or total absorption across a bandwidth that is orders of magnitude broader than the spectral correlation width of the medium, due to long-range correlations in coherent diffusion. We find excellent agreement between the analytic theory and numerical simulations

Blind Ghost Imaging

Ghost imaging is an unconventional optical imaging technique that reconstructs the shape of an object combining the measurement of two signals: one that interacted with the object, but without any spatial information, the other containing spatial information, but that never interacted with the object. Ghost imaging is a very flexible technique, that has been generalized to the single-photon regime, to the time domain, to infrared and terahertz frequencies, and many more conditions. Here we demonstrate that ghost imaging can be performed without ever knowing the patterns illuminating the object, but using patterns correlated with them, doesn't matter how weakly. As an experimental proof we exploit the recently discovered correlation between the reflected and transmitted light from a scattering layer, and reconstruct the image of an object hidden behind a scattering layer using only the reflected light, which never interacts with the object. This method opens new perspectives for non-invasive imaging behind or within turbid media.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Euclidean matrix theory of random lasing in a cloud of cold atoms

We develop an ab initio analytic theory of random lasing in an ensemble of atoms that both scatter and amplify light. The theory applies all the way from low to high density of atoms. The properties of the random laser are controlled by an Euclidean matrix with elements equal to the Green's function of the Helmholtz equation between pairs of atoms in the system. Lasing threshold and the intensity of laser emission are calculated in the semiclassical approximation. The results are compared to the outcome of the diffusion theory of random lasing.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Correlations between reflected and transmitted intensity patterns emerging from opaque disordered media

The propagation of monochromatic light through a scattering medium produces speckle patterns in reflection and transmission, and the apparent randomness of these patterns prevents direct imaging through thick turbid media. Yet, since elastic multiple scattering is fundamentally a linear and deterministic process, information is not lost but distributed among many degrees of freedom that can be resolved and manipulated. Here we demonstrate experimentally that the reflected and transmitted speckle patterns are correlated, even for opaque media with thickness much larger than the transport mean free path, proving that information survives the multiple scattering process and can be recovered. The existence of mutual information between the two sides of a scattering medium opens up new possibilities for the control of transmitted light without any feedback from the target side, but using only information gathered from the reflected speckle.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure