Slow light in room-temperature optical waveguides

Researchers studying slow light via stimulated Brillouin scattering have demonstrated that it is possible to minimize pulse distortion by tailoring the higher-order dispersion of the material, operate at data rates over 10 Gb/s using broad-band pump light, obtain controllable delays exceeding one pulse width, and delaying pulses with minimal change in the pulse amplitude. Spurred by this work, there is active research in obtaining slow light in optical wave guides by stimulated Raman scattering and by the four-wave mixing process. Also, researchers are moving into the nonlinear regime to study slow-light with optical solitons. Simultaneously, results from the basic science laboratories are transitioning to applications-oriented laboratories who are integrating slow-light sub-assemblies into functions telecommunication components.