Microscopic characterization of Lévy flights of light in atomic vapors

Abstract

We investigate multiple scattering of near-resonant light in a Doppler-broadened atomic vapor. We experimentally characterize the length distribution of the steps between successive scattering events. The obtained power law is characteristic of a superdiffusive behavior, where rare but very long steps (Lévy flights) dominate the transport properties.

High resolutions figures in the published version