Abstract
It is a long-standing belief that, in the diffusion regime, the intensity statistics is always stationary and its probability distribution follows a negative exponential decay. Here, we demonstrate that, in fact, in reflection from strong disordered media, the intensity statistics changes through different stages of the diffusion. We present a statistical model that describes this nonstationary property and takes into account the evolving balance between recurrent scattering and near field coupling. The predictions are further verified by systematic experiments in the optical regime. This statistical nonstationary is akin to the nonequilibrium but steady-state diffusion of particulate systems.
- Received 4 February 2020
- Accepted 22 June 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.043902
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