INDIGO · Interaction of Nonlinearity and Disorder: Gateways to Optics

The project seeks to train an experienced researcher (Dr Stanislav Derevyanko) to the highest level of professional competence by bringing him into a world class research group in the field of nonlinear optics at Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel). This goal will be acheived by an ambitious research programme aimed at elucidating the nature of the complex interplay between nonlinearity and disorder using arguably the most illustrative example where it occurs: disordered beam propagation in nonlinear photonic waveguides and lattices.The main specific objectives of the project will be 1) to apply the methods of statistical physics to describe the thermalization of light in 1 and 2 dimensional waveguide arrays at arbitrary level of nonlinearity. 2) to study the propagation of an optical beam in disordered optical lattices and study the impact of disorder on the refractive properties such lattices 3) to build a theory of the nonlinear Hanbury-Brown and Twiss interferometer where the information about the angular size of a light source is extracted by analysing an intensity correlation of the speckled light field.In additon to purely research objectives additional complementary training in such skills as reserach commercialisation and project management will be provided to aid Dr Derevyanko's further career development.Although the project is theoretical in nature the fellowship will be taken place in a leading world-class experimental group in the field which creates a unique opportunity of immediate verification and testing the outcomes of the project and increasing its scientific impact.