Fundamentals and applications of slow light

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rochester. Institute of Optics, 2011."Slow and fast light" constitute a broad class of science and technology that can dramatically change the group index of a medium over a certain wavelength range. This thesis is composed of studies regarding both fundamental aspects and applications of slow light. The thesis starts with some discussion on two fundamental questions. The first one is how much momentum a photon carries within a slow-light medium, and what kind of force is experienced by a slow-light medium when a photon enters or leaves it. The second issue is how the noise properties of an optical field change as it propagates through a slow-light medium. The second part of the thesis deals with the applications of slow light for tunable time delays. For such applications, one of the key figures of merit is the maximum fractional delay that a slow-light element can achieve. I first present a method with experimental demonstrations for improving the maximum fractional delay using a multiple-gain-line medium. Second, I present a design with experimental demonstration for how to achieve simultaneous tunable delay and advancement using slow and fast light in a single module. I then propose a design of a digitally tunable module using channelized slow light, which can be useful for optical packet delays, etc. The third part of the thesis studies the use of slow light to enhance the performance of spectroscopic interferometers. I start with the derivation of the spectral sensitivity of two-beam and multiple-beam interferometers with slow-light media incorporated in them. I show both theoretically and experimentally that the spectral sensitivity is proportional to the group index of the medium inside the interferometers. Second, I propose and demonstrate experimentally a new type of Fourier-transform interferometer using tunable slow light. I then analyze the performance of three types of slow-light media for interferometry applications. Lastly, I present a design of an on-chip slow-light spectrometer as well as some studies on slow-light waveguides using photonic crystal structures