TY - JOUR
T1 - Fast causal information transmission in a medium with a slow group velocity
AU - Stenner, Michael D.
AU - Gauthier, Daniel J.
AU - Neifeld, Mark A.
PY - 2005/2/11
Y1 - 2005/2/11
N2 - It is widely believed that the velocity of information νi encoded on an optical pulse is equal to the group velocity νg, at least when νg is less than the speed of light in vacuum c. On the other hand, several authors suggest that νi = c, although the size of the signal traveling at this velocity may be small, thereby making it difficult to measure. Here, we measure νi for pulses propagating through a resonant "slow-light" medium where νg ≈ 0.006c. We find νi ≈ 1.03c-0.25c+0.49c, or that νi χ 168νg clearly demonstrating that the speed of information cannot be generally described by νg, but is characterized by its own velocity.
AB - It is widely believed that the velocity of information νi encoded on an optical pulse is equal to the group velocity νg, at least when νg is less than the speed of light in vacuum c. On the other hand, several authors suggest that νi = c, although the size of the signal traveling at this velocity may be small, thereby making it difficult to measure. Here, we measure νi for pulses propagating through a resonant "slow-light" medium where νg ≈ 0.006c. We find νi ≈ 1.03c-0.25c+0.49c, or that νi χ 168νg clearly demonstrating that the speed of information cannot be generally described by νg, but is characterized by its own velocity.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.053902
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.053902
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:18144406122
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 94
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
IS - 5
M1 - 053902
ER -