Radiation pressure based instabilities in the multiple scattering limit
Marius Gaudesius, INLN
This dominantly experimental project addresses the formation of photon bubbles and analyze long-range interactions in large thermal clouds with diffusive light propagation. It will implement fast frame fluorescent imaging (>3000 fps) to monitor real time evolution of the spatial density of the atomic cloud. Novel pump-probe techniques will be tested to provide information of the distribution of atoms beyond the average density, with e.g. access to a Debye shielding length.
Objectives: 1. Achieve optomechanical instabilities based on radiation pressure forces. 2. Compare diffusive and diffractive light propagation for its impact on pattern formation. 3. Compare microscopic models to analytical prediction of photon bubbles.
Expected Results: 1. Observation of photon bubbles. 2. Understanding the cross over from stable to oscillating photon bubbles. 3. Characterization of the scaling of spatio-temporal structures.