Observation of ultraslow light propagation in a ruby crystal at room temperature

We have observed slow light propagation with a group velocity as low as 57.5+/-0.5 m/s at room temperature in a ruby crystal. A quantum coherence effect, coherent population oscillations, produces a very narrow spectral "hole" in the homogeneously broadened absorption profile of ruby. The resulting rapid spectral variation of the refractive index leads to a large value of the group index. We observe slow light propagation both for Gaussian-shaped light pulses and for amplitude modulated optical beams in a system that is much simpler than those previously used for generating slow light.     

Slow light using wave mixing in liquid crystal light valve

By performing optical two-wave mixing in a liquid crystal light valve, we are able to slow down optical pulses to group velocities as slow as a few tenths of mm/s, corresponding to a very large group index. We present experiment and model of the slow light process occurring in liquid crystal light valves. The large group index corresponds to having a large sensitivity for phase variations, a property that can be used to increase the sensitivity of Fourier transform interferometer. We show that when a liquid crystal light valve is inserted in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, the effect of frequency perturbations at the input of the system is amplified by a factor related to the group delay.     

Photonic crystal waveguides with ultra-low group velocity

We present a novel photonic crystal waveguide, which leads to a large increase in group index while maintaining a simple design. We report group index values up to 850 with large bandwidth. Through a study of the group velocity dispersion, we show that our structure is ideally suited for dispersion compensation applications.     

Polarization dependent inter-core interferences in twin-core photonic crystal fiber and its application to high temperature measurement

We investigate polarization dependent differential group modal index sensitivity to temperature in twin-core photonic crystal fiber. Characteristics of guided modes and the group modal index difference in twin-core photonic crystal fiber (TC-PCF) are numerically analyzed. The geometrical asymmetry between the two cores induces significantly reduced power coupling between two core modes and difference in their effective indices. Two cores form two effective optical paths. We also experimentally demonstrate polarization dependent differential group modal index sensitivity to the temperature. Since the TC-PCF has polarization dependent group modal index difference, TC-PCF based interferometer shows input polarization dependent free spectral range and temperature sensitivities. The effective index difference between the two core modes tends to increase when the temperature increases.     

Determination of the refractive index over a wide wavelength range through time-delay measurements of femtosecond pulses

We present a simple method to measure the refractive index dispersion over a broad wavelength range (0.6-1.6 μm). In a first step, the optical group indices are obtained by measuring the time-retardation of tunable 150 fs laser pulses within a sample relative to air. The refractive index dispersion is then calculated using a Sellmeier equation that describes the measured group index dispersion. We show that our experimental data agree with previously published results to within 2 × 10⁻⁴ for a 3 mm thick sample of fused silica and to within 3 × 10⁻³ for the index n₁ of a 2 mm thick crystal of the highly dispersive and anisotropic organic crystal 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4′-N′-methyl stilbazolium tosylate (DAST).     

Dispersionless slow light by photonic crystal slab waveguide with innermost elliptical air holes

We report a low-loss photonic crystal slab waveguide formed by deforming the innermost circle air holes in the conventional photonic crystal slab waveguide into elliptical ones. We obtain the photonic bands and group index of guided modes in this photonic crystal waveguide by guided-mode expansion method and investigate the dependence of photonic bands and group index of guided modes on the parameters of the innermost elliptical air holes. The group velocity and group velocity dispersion of this waveguide strongly depend on the innermost elliptical air holes. Photonic crystal slab waveguide with the optimum innermost elliptical air holes possesses a wider single mode region below the light line, in which light can easily propagate without intrinsic loss. At the same time, the guided mode supported by this waveguide has nearly constant group velocity and vanishing group velocity dispersion in a 3-5 nm bandwidth.     

High-purity transmission of a slow light odd mode in a photonic crystal waveguide

We demonstrate a novel scheme to control the excitation symmetry for an odd mode in a photonic crystal waveguide and investigate the spectral signature of this slow light mode. An odd-mode Mach-Zehnder coupler is introduced to transform mode symmetry and excite a high-purity odd mode with 20?dB signal contrast over the background. Assisted by a mixed-mode Mach-Zehnder coupler, slow light mode beating can be observed and is utilized to determine the group index of this odd mode. With slow light enhancement, this odd mode can help enable novel miniaturized devices such as one-way waveguides.     

一种新型无色散慢光光子晶体薄板波导

利用椭圆形孔替代传统光子晶体薄板波导中邻接波导的最内层两排圆孔构成一种新型低损耗光子晶体薄板光波导.该波导的群速度和群速度色散特性强烈依赖于波导中这两排邻接波导的椭圆孔的特性.借助波导导模展开方法,计算得到波导的能带结构和群指数,并分析了它们与椭圆孔的参数关系.通过优化这些椭圆孔的参数,可以增加光子晶体光波导导模在光锥以下的无固有传输损耗带宽,在2—45 nm 的带宽上实现无色散的常数群速度.这些理论结果将为低损耗低色散慢光波导的设计制造提供理论基础. 关键词： 光子晶体薄板波导 群速度 群指数 群速度色散     

Nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator with a silicon photonic crystal waveguide

We derive an equation that describes the nonlinear operation of a Fabry-Perot resonator with a large group index waveguide. Specifically, a silicon photonic crystal microcavity with two-photon-excited free carrier nonlinearity and Kerr nonlinearity is assumed. The equation clearly explains the bistability of the device and the reduction of the required pump energy for a specific nonlinear phase shift at an appropriate phase detuning from the resonance. We present a simple procedure to predict the required optical pump energy for the modulation and the resulting modulation depth by use of the equation and the device parameters.     

MODELLING of a two-dimensional photonic crystal with line defect for a laser gas sensor application

We present the results of a numerical analysis of a two-dimensional photonic crystal with line defect for a laser gas sensor working in a slow light regime. The geometrical parameters of photonic crystals with three different line defects were numerically analyzed: a missing row of holes, a row of holes with changed diameter and air channel. Antireflection sections were also analyzed. The simulations were carried out by MEEP and MPB programs, with the aim to get the values of a group refractive index, transmission and a light-gas overlap as high as possible. The effective refractive index method was used to reduce the simulation time and required computing power. We also described numerical simulation details such as required conditions to work in the slow light regime and the analyzed parameters values’ dependency of the simulation resolution that may influence the accuracy of the results.     

Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed in a photonic crystal fiber based on a pair of long-period fiber gratings

We demonstrate implementation of an all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed in a photonic crystal fiber (PCF). We formed the all-PCF Mach-Zehnder interferometer by mechanically inducing two identical long-period fiber gratings (LPGs) in the PCF. The spectral properties of a LPG and a LPG pair were investigated. The interference fringe formed within the stop band of the LPG pair varied with the period and the strength of the gratings, and the fringe spacing was decreased with increasing grating separation. From the fringe spacing measurement the differential effective group index of the PCF was calculated to be deltam approximately equal to 2.8 x 10(-3).     

Direct measurement of dispersion of the group refractive indices of quartz crystal by white-light spectral interferometry

We present a white-light spectral interferometric technique employing a low-resolution spectrometer for a direct measurement of the dispersion of the ordinary and extraordinary group refractive indices of a quartz crystal over the wavelength range approximately from 480 to 860 nm. The technique utilizes a dispersive Michelson interferometer with the quartz crystal of known thickness to record a series of spectral interferograms and to measure the equalization wavelength as a function of the displacement of the interferometer mirror from the reference position, which corresponds to a balanced non-dispersive Michelson interferometer. We confirm that the measured group dispersion agrees well with that described by the dispersion equation proposed by Ghosh. We also show that the measured mirror displacement depends, in accordance with the theory, linearly on the theoretical group refractive index and that the slope of the corresponding straight line gives precisely the thickness of the quartz crystal.     

Infrared cylindrical cloak in nanosphere dispersed liquid crystal metamaterial

We present a design of an infrared cylindrical cloak using nanosphere dispersed nematic liquid crystal (NLC) metamaterial following the approach of Smith's group [Science 314, 977 (2006)]. Cloaking conditions require spatial distribution of liquid crystal birefringence with constant extraordinary index of refraction and radially dependent ordinary index of refraction. An approximate analytical formula for the latter is derived. Finite element (FE) simulations confirm the cloaking effect. Owing to the tunable birefringence of the liquid crystal component, such cloaking material offers the interesting possibilities of real-time control of invisibility. The possibility of experimental realization is briefly discussed.     

Design and analysis of a wideband photonic crystal waveguide with low group-velocity and low dispersion

The slow light propagation in a line waveguide in the two-dimensional triangular photonic crystal has been numerically studied, based on which a wideband photonic crystal waveguide with low group-velocity and low dispersion is proposed. The numerical simulation analysis shows that it is possible to maximize the group index and minimize the group-velocity dispersion in wide bandwidth by increasing the radius of the basic air hole and changing the position of the first two rows of air holes in photonic crysta...     

Modal propagation characteristics of EM waves in ternary one-dimensional plasma photonic crystals

We have theoretically studied the modal dispersion characteristics, group velocity, and effective group as well as phase index of refraction of ternary one-dimensional (1D) plasma photonic band gap (PBG) structure having periodic multilayers of three different materials in one unit cell. The dispersion characteristics related for such structure is derived by solving Maxwell wave equation based on principle of Kronig-Penny model. From the computed results we observe that the dispersion characteristics of such structure also show the frequency gap and cutoffs as found in (binary) one-dimensional plasma photonic crystal. The frequency gap is shown to become larger with the increase of plasma frequency as well as plasma width. It is seen that such structure provide additional degree of freedom to control dispersion characteristic, group velocity and effective index of refraction compared to conventional one-dimensional plasma photonic crystal.     

Role of incoherent pumping and Er3+ ion concentration on subluminal and superluminal light propagation in Er3+-doped YAG crystal

We study the absorption-dispersion process and group index of weak probe field in a four-level Er3+:YAG crystal.We find that the Er3+ion concentration and incoherent pumping field can influence the absorption-dispersion process and group index of weak probe field.Moreover,our results show that Er3+ion concentration plays a major role in lasing without inversion and absorption with inversion.     

与色散介质毗邻的一维半无限光子晶体表面态

运用Bloch定理和传输矩阵方法,研究了与色散介质毗邻的由两种材料组成的半无限一维光子晶体局域表面态的电场和色散关系.和以空气为背景的一维光子晶体相比,毗邻色散介质的光子晶体表面模色散曲线在一定堆积次序下会在较低的带隙中发生断开,较高带隙中的表面模群速度在不同堆积次序下会有很大差异.当与色散介质毗邻的物质折射率较大时,较高带隙中的表面模群速度较小;与色散介质毗邻的物质折射率较小时,较高带隙中表面模的群速度较大.     

Highly sensitive refractometer with a photonic-crystal-fiber long-period grating

We present highly sensitive refractometers based on a long-period grating in a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The maximum sensitivity is 1500 nm/refractive index unit at a refractive index of 1.33, to our knowledge the highest reported for any fiber grating. The minimal detectable index change is 2 x 10(-5). The high sensitivity is obtained by infiltrating the sample into the holes of the PCF to give a strong interaction between the sample and the probing field.     

用光纤白光干涉技术测量晶体的弹光系数

运用折射率椭球分析晶体的弹光效应,给出了三方晶系沿光轴方向的应力与折射率的变化关系.针对晶体的各向异性和折射率随应力变化很小的因素,利用白光干涉技术空间分辨率高的特点,将白光干涉技术拓展到研究各向异性材料的光学性质. 并对测量群折射率的光纤迈克尔逊白光干涉技术进行了改进.采用光栅位移传感器和全保偏光纤提高反射扫描镜的位移准确度.通过测量石英晶体在不同外力下折射率的变化情况,确定了晶体的弹光系数. 石英晶体的弹光系数P33和P13分别为0.110和0.279,其准确度达到0.001.     

Ground-state phase diagram of 2D electrons in a high Landau level: a density-matrix renormalization group study.

The ground-state phase diagram of 2D electrons in a high Landau level (index N = 2) is studied by the density-matrix renormalization group method. Pair correlation functions are systematically calculated for various filling factors from nu = 1/8 to 1/2. It is shown that the ground-state phase diagram consists of three different charge density wave states called stripe phase, bubble phase, and Wigner crystal. The boundary between the stripe and the bubble phases is determined to be nu(s-b)c approximately 0.38, and that for the bubble phase and Wigner crystal is nu(b-W)c approximately 0.24. Each transition is of first order.