EXPERIMENTAL-VERIFICATION OF LIGHT LOCALIZATION FOR DISORDERED MULTILAYERS IN THE VISIBLE-INFRARED SPECTRUM

We have measured the light localization length for a disordered binary multilayer system, which we have prepared by alternating layers of an timonite and cryolite. The thicknesses of the cryolite layers are all the same, while those of antimonite vary randomly around an average va lue. The degree of disorder is given by the average fluctuation of thi cknesses. The exponential decay of transmission intensity of light wit h the length of the multilayer is demonstrated experimentally. The loc alization lengths, the characteristic length of this exponential decay , are derived from experimental data in the wavelength region 720-900 nm for a fixed degree of disorder. The localization lengths at differe nt incident wavelengths are computed by transfer-matrix approach. The agreement between the experimental measurements and the calculations i s good.