Exciton polaritons and their one-dimensional localization in disordered quantum-well structures

A theory of the Anderson localization of light in randomly arranged ultrathin layers (quantum wells) uniform in lateral dimensions and possessing intrinsic optical resonances is put forward. To solve the multiple-scattering problem, a model of layers with a δ-function resonance dielectric polarization is proposed. The model is an electromagnetic counterpart of the electronic model of zero-radius potentials. Interlayer disorder is included under the assumption of a low average concentration of identical layers in order to calculate analytically the one-and two-photon characteristics of electromagnetic-radiation transport, in particular, the average energy density and the Anderson localization length of light. The analysis is carried out for a structure with randomly distributed quantum wells in which quasi-two-dimensional excitons of different quantum wells are in resonance while their wave functions do not overlap. It is shown that the average electromagnetic field propagates through this disordered structure in the form of polaritons but are produced in exciton reemission between quantum wells. The localization length of light in the polariton spectral region decreases substantially, because the scattering (reflection) of light by individual quantum wells grows near the excitonic resonance.