Reciprocity is a universal principle that has a profound impact on many areas
of physics. A fundamental phenomenon in condensed-matter physics, optical
physics and acoustics, arising from reciprocity, is the constructive
interference of quantum or classical waves which propagate along time-reversed
paths in disordered media, leading to, for example, weak localization and
metal-insulator transition. Previous studies have shown that such coherent
effects are suppressed when reciprocity is broken. Here we show that by
breaking reciprocity in a controlled manner, we can tune, rather than simply
suppress, these phenomena. In particular, we manipulate coherent backscattering
of light, also known as weak localization. By utilizing a non-reciprocal
magneto-optical effect, we control the interference between time-reversed paths
inside a multimode fiber with strong mode mixing, and realize a continuous
transition from the well-known peak to a dip in the backscattered intensity.
Our results may open new possibilities for coherent control of classical and
quantum waves in complex systemsComment: Comments are welcom