Enhancing the spectral sensitivity of interferometers using slow-light media

Shi, Zhimin; Boyd, Robert W.; Gauthier, Daniel J.; Dudley, C. C.

doi:10.1364/ol.32.000915

Cited by 147 publications

(91 citation statements)

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“…The large number of fringes observed in figure 4 arises from the same phe- nomenon that enhances the spectral response in a slow-light interferometer [11] (see Methods). A powerful property of the polarimetry signal is that it allows a direct read-out of the differential refractive and group indices.…”

Section: Refractive Index Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…In general, the phase shift, ∆φ, between two waves is produced by a differing optical path length, ∆(Ln), where n is the phase index of the wave with velocity v p = c/n, and L is the length of the path taken by the wave. The phase shift between two waves of angular frequency ω is given by [11] …”

Section: Interferometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Delaying pulses by more than their widths has applications in data synchronisation and qubit operations for quantum computing [10]. Another interesting application of slow light is interferometry, using either monochromatic light sources [11,12], where the large dispersion associated with a slow-light medium results in greater phase sensitivity; or polychromatic light, where the large pulse delays can increase the resolution of a Fourier transform interferometer by orders of magnitude [13].…”

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confidence: 99%

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A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

et al. 2009

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The ability to control the speed and polarisation of light pulses will allow for faster data flow in optical networks of the future. Optical delay and switching have been achieved using slow-light techniques in various media, including atomic vapour. Most of these vapour schemes utilise resonant narrowband techniques for optical switching, but suffer the drawback of having a limited frequency range or high loss. In contrast, the Faraday effect in a Doppler-broadened slow-light medium allows polarisation switching over tens of GHz with high transmission. This large frequency range opens up the possibility of switching telecommunication bandwidth pulses and probing of dynamics on a nanosecond timescale. Here we demonstrate the slow-light Faraday effect for light detuned far from resonance. We show that the polarisation dependent group index can split a linearly polarised nanosecond pulse into left and right circularly polarised components. The group index also enhances the spectral sensitivity of the polarisation rotation, and large rotations of up to 15π rad are observed for continuous-wave light. Finally, we demonstrate dynamic broadband pulse switching, by rotating a linearly polarised nanosecond pulse from vertical to horizontal with no distortion and transmission close to unity.

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Section: Refractive Index Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Interferometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

et al. 2009

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“…In practice, it means that transformations and functions based on optical nonlinearities could be realized in much shorter distances, for instance, in 1 cm instead of 1 m if the light is slowed down to 1/10 of its normal group velocity. It has also been anticipated that the sensitivity of interferometers or sensing systems can be significantly improved by reducing the speed of the light signal [29][30][31][32][33]. However, no decisive experimental verifications have supported these predictions so far and certainly amazing and unexpected applications of this fascinating domain of slow light will be discovered in the coming years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Achievements in slow and fast light in optical fibres

Thévenaz

2008

2008 10th Anniversary International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks

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The ubiquitous role occupied by optical fibres in modern photonic systems has steadily stimulated research to realize slow and fast light devices directly in this close-to-perfect transmission line. This potentially offers the key advantage of a direct and flexible integration in most existing optical systems. The recent progress in the realization of optically-controlled delays in optical fibres, under normal environmental conditions and in the high-transparency spectral region, has paved the way towards real applications based on slow and fast light. This presentation shows the state-of-the-art research in this fascinating field and the possible outcomes in the near future.

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“…However, no decisive experimental verifications have supported these predictions so far. It has also been anticipated that the sensitivity of interferometers or sensing systems can be significantly improved by reducing the speed of the light signal [62][63][64][65][66] . Amazing and unexpected applications of slow light will probably be discovered in the coming years through the use of innovative and creative solutions.…”

Section: Review Article | Focusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Slow and fast light in optical fibres

2008

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The ubiquitous role of optical fibres in modern photonic systems has stimulated research to realize slow and fast light devices directly in this close-to-perfect transmission line. Recent progress in developing optically controlled delays in optical fibres, operating under normal environmental conditions and at telecommunication wavelengths, has paved the way towards real applications for slow and fast light. This review presents the state-of-the-art research in this fascinating field and possible outcomes in the near future. The development of high-quality silica optical fibres with excellent transmission capabilities has directly contributed to the tremendous expansion of the global communication network. The success is due to their unrivalled low-loss performance (typically 50% of light is still present after a 15-km transmission distance), their wide bandwidth, which allows terabits per second of information to be transmitted over more than 1,000 km, and also their extremely low production cost. Realizing tunable delays for optical data signals directly in fibres, as well as integrating such devices into existing communication networks, is certainly a very attractive approach for optimizing the flow of data traffic in future networks. The approach may also enhance the capabilities of optical and microwave-on-optical-carrier signal processing. Given the limited possibilities for engineering the dispersion curve of standard single-mode fibres without creating complex photonic-crystal structures (see pages 448 and 465 of this issue 1,2 ), much research on fibre-based delays has been directed towards solutions based on spectral resonances to generate slow and fast light. The initial pioneering demonstrations of slow and fast light in various media all exploited narrow spectral resonances, typically created by electromagnetically induced transparency 3 or coherent population oscillation 4 . Narrow spectral resonances have a dramatic effect on optical propagation, as any sharp spectral change in the medium's transmission curve results in a steep quasi-linear variation of the effective refractive index with wavelength in the narrow spectral region near the resonance. This in turn results in a strong change in the group velocity at the exact centre of the resonance 5 . The velocity change is strongest for narrower spectral resonances (as explained in detail below) and for this reason, the early experiments were all carried out in special media, such as ultracold atomic gases or atomic transitions in a crystalline solid at a well-defined wavelength. Luc ThévenazWithin the resonance, the relationship between the change in the optical transmission and the delay can be determined as follows. The refractive-index change, Δn, as a function of the optical frequency, ν, is calculated using the Kramers-Kronig transformation, and the index change associated with the group velocity, Δn g , is then found using the relationship Δn g = Δn + ν(dΔn/dν) (ref. 5). Finally, the delay, ΔT, added to the normal transit time in the medium...

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Enhancing the spectral sensitivity of interferometers using slow-light media

Cited by 147 publications

References 10 publications

A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

A gigahertz-bandwidth atomic probe based on the slow-light Faraday effect

Achievements in slow and fast light in optical fibres

Slow and fast light in optical fibres

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