New phenomena in the propagation of optical waves through random media

Abstract

A review is presented of some new and exciting phenomena regarding the multiple scattering of optical waves in random systems. In particular, the author develops the important role played by the vector nature of the wave on memory effects (the ‘polarization memory effect’), correlations and statistical fluctuations (‘microstatistics’). He also describes the recent progress on the effect of a restricted geometry on correlation phenomena and nonRayleigh statistics.