How much can all-optical networking benefit from slow light?

S. L. Chuang, Shu‐Wei Chang, Hui Su

J.P. Conti

How the slowing of light could benefit fibre-optic communications, that is speeding up telecommunications networks, is discussed. Mechanisms for the potential telecoms application are briefly explained - resynchronisation and regeneration processes.

Jacob B. Khurgin

Jacob B. Khurgin

Applications of various slow light schemes in nonlinear optics are considered. It is shown that most benefits of slow light fade away at high bit rates. A few realistic applications of slow light are identified.

Tucker

Ryan Hamerly, Kambiz Jamshidi, Hideo Mabuchi

Due to their strong light confinement, waveguides with optical nonlinearities may be a promising platform for energy-efficient optical computing. Slow light can enhance a waveguide’s effective nonlinearity, which could result in devices that operate in low-power regimes where quantum fluctuations are important, and may also have quantum applications including squeezing and entanglement generation. In this manuscript, slow-light structures based on the Kerr (χ(3)) nonlinearity are analyzed using a semi-classical model to account for the quantum noise. We develop a hybrid split-step / Runge-Kutta numerical model to compute the mean field and squeezing spectrum for pulses propagating down a waveguide, and use this model to study squeezing produced in optical waveguides. Scaling relations are explored, and the benefits and limitations of slow light are discussed in the context of squeezing.