Optical kinetic theory of nonlinear multimode photonic networks

ARKADY KURNOSOV; LUCAS JONATAN FERNANDEZ; ALBA YANINA RAMOS; TSAMPIKOS KOTTOS

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2024 vol. 132

0031-9007

Recent experimental developments in multimode nonlinear photonic circuits (MMNPCs), have motivated the development of an optical thermodynamic theory that describes the equilibrium properties of an initial beam excitation. However, a nonequilibrium transport theory for these systems, when they are in contact with thermal reservoirs, is still terra incognita. Here, by combining Landauer and kinematics formalisms we develop a universal one-parameter scaling theory that describes the whole transport behavior from the ballistic to the diffusive regime, including both positive and negative optical temperature scenarios. We also derive a photonic version of the Wiedemann-Franz law that connects the thermal and power conductivities. Our work paves the way toward a fundamental understanding of the transport properties of MMNPCs and may be useful for the design of all-optical cooling protocols.