Search arXiv⌕ Search

arXiv · 2601.12404

Bridging Photon Statistics and Phase Transitions in Random Fiber Lasers

Abstract

Complex systems exhibit rich equilibrium states, yet the universal principles governing these systems remain unrevealed, motivating the search for novel experimental platforms. Random fiber lasers (RFLs), which generate partially-coherent light-wave through feedback from Rayleigh scattering, provide a photonic realization of such systems. Here we report a comprehensive theoretical and experimental investigation of photon statistics for RFLs based on classical second-order temporal correlation function \( g^{(2)}(τ) \), revealing unique statistical properties and introduce a two-dimensional framework for controlling photon statistics. Remarkably, we establish a unified landscape between photon correlation, intensity statistics governed by Levy statistics, and phase transitions with replica symmetry breaking. This multifaceted relationship, observed for the first time, bridges disordered photonics with statistical physics of complex system. Our results offer new pathways for engineering laser emission with controllable photon statistics, and more broadly, this work positions RFLs as a fertile land for exploring emergent behaviors in disordered systems.

Explore related subjects

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Yifei Qi, Runhao Li, Jie Li, Taichao Wang, Wangyouyou Li, Ernesto P. Raposo, Anderson S. L. Gomes, Han Wu, Zinan Wang. 2026-01-18. Bridging Photon Statistics and Phase Transitions in Random Fiber Lasers. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.12404

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

Geometric Phases and Holonomy in Structured Optical Fields

Geometric phases are widely used in modern optics, yet their meaning and underlying geometry depend on the actual physical settings, which can substantially differ from one another. This tutorial article introduces geometric phases in nanophotonic systems, focusing on the interaction of structured light with nanostructures or metaatoms. We compare the present setting with conventional geometric phases of structured-light optics and show that similar phase laws may correspond to genuinely different underlying geometries. Our aim is to provide a pedagogical bridge between the mathematical language of geometric phases and experimentally relevant examples from nanophotonics.

physics.optics↗

Induced Directional Switching of Platicon Microcombs in Photonic Crystal Ring Resonators

Microcombs in normal-dispersion photonic crystal ring resonators (PhCRs) are versatile building blocks for next-generation integrated photonic circuits, but their inherent backward-propagation bias necessitates optical circulators or complex filtering for comb extraction, creating a significant bottleneck for full on-chip integration and precluding self-injection locking schemes. In this work, we introduce Side-mode Induced Forward Forcing (SIFF), a robust method to control and reverse this directionality. By engineering auxiliary mode splittings on resonances adjacent to the pump, we steer the nonlinear dynamics to favor stable, forward-propagating platicon states. We identify an optimal coupling condition that ensures forward-comb dominance across a wide parameter range. Our findings, validated numerically and experimentally, enable circulator-free, integrated normal-dispersion microcombs compatible with self-injection locking, offering a scalable architecture for compact telecommunications and sensing systems.

physics.optics↗

Programmable Intrinsic Circularly Polarized Emission

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is central to chiral photonics, yet programming circularly polarized emission at the nanoscale remains challenging. Here, we program intrinsic CPL at its microscopic origin in laser-written all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals embedded in glass. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals a core-shell-like variation in interplanar spacing associated with intrinsic CPL, consistent with torsional lattice distortion. The torsional lattice distortion breaks inversion symmetry, while density functional theory calculations show that it lifts the spin degeneracy of the band-edge electronic states. Power-dependent measurements further reveal a transition from birefringence-mediated circular polarization to intrinsic CPL, accompanied by the emergence of a distinct core-shell-like lattice distortion in the nanocrystals. By tuning the incident linear polarization angle and focal depth, we deterministically control both the handedness and magnitude of the intrinsic CPL, with |glum| of approximately 4 ^ 10^-3. These results show that programmable intrinsic CPL originates from the structural and electronic properties of the emitting nanocrystals, enabling circularly polarized emission to be controlled at its microscopic origin and spatially encoded within a monolithic material.

physics.optics↗