Application specific specialty optical systems and towards 1D random lasers in disordered optical lattices

In the context of localization, in this talk I plan to discuss my latest findings which establishes that a simultaneous presence of spatial and refractive index disorder favors faster localization of light from the view point of realizing compact random lasers in 1D. Further, I elaborate that the photonic bandgap indeed plays an important role and its simultaneous presence in disordered lattices could catalyze realization of localized light even when the strength of disorder is not sufficiently strong to independently cause localization. A next-generation broadband photonic-bandgap assisted light source with low divergence covering the entire wavelength window of 1.5–3.5 μm with mode area as large as 1100 μm2 will be introduced for mid-infrared photonics. Moreover, I plan to present a discrete supercontinuum pulsed source spreading over 1.85-2.45 μm which exactly matches with the first mid-IR atmospheric transmission window and would be interesting for defense and spectroscopic applications. 
Our recent proposal of an interesting all-optical structure for "soliton-like" propagation using parabolic optical pulses will also be discussed. These high power self-similar pulses would be extremely useful for medical applications as well as sensing and spectroscopy. I may also focus on my future plans for research at TIFR within and beyond the confines of INSPIRE proposal