Slow Light in Molecular-Aggregate Nanofilms

Increasing applicability of slow light in molecular aggregate nanofilms with two-exciton dynamics.

We study the slow-light performance in the presence of exciton-exciton interaction in films of linear molecular aggregates at the nanometer scale. In particular, we consider a four-level model to describe the creation/annihilation of two-exciton states that are relevant for high-intensity fields. Numerical simulations show delays comparable to those obtained for longer propagation distances in ...

Slow light

‘‘New Problems’’ resumes this month with the first of a series of problems from Kirk McDonald of Princeton University. ‘‘New Problems’’ continues to solicit interesting and novel worked problems for use in undergraduate physics courses beyond the introductory level. We seek problems that convey the excitement and interest of current developments in physics and that are useful for teaching cours...

Slow light in photonic crystals

The velocity of light in vacuum, c, is approximately 3 × 108 m s–1, fast enough to make 7.5 round-the-world trips in a single second, and to move a distance of 300 mm in 1 ns. This ultrahigh speed is advantageous for efficient data transmission between two points, whether they are separated on a global scale or on a single chip; however, it also makes control of optical signals in the time doma...

Slow light in photonic crystals

The problem of slowing down light by orders of magnitude has been extensively discussed in the literature. Such a possibility can be useful in a variety of optical and microwave applications. Many qualitatively different approaches have been explored. Here we discuss how this goal can be achieved in linear dispersive media, such as photonic crystals. The existence of slowly propagating electrom...

Slow Light in Optical Fibers