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IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

Negative group delay and pulse compression in superluminal pulse propagation

Hua Cao, Arthur Dogariu, L.J. Wang

Published Jan 1, 2003• 56 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We systematically study the pulse advance and pulse compression in light propagation through a transparent, anomalously dispersive medium. Using an Argand diagram, we show that pulse compression is the only form of pulse distortion, while other forms of pulse distortion can be eliminated. Experimentally, we implement a dual-band electronic amplifier to measure the negative pulse group delay and compression and confirm that they are related via a quadratic form.

DOI
10.1109/jstqe.2002.807974

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We systematically study the pulse advance and pulse compression in light propagation through a transparent, anomalously dispersive medium. Using an Argand diagram, we show that pulse compression is the only form of pulse distortion, while other forms of pulse distortion can be eliminated. Experimentally, we implement a dual-band electronic amplifier to measure the negative pulse group delay and compression and confirm that they are related via a quadratic form.
Anomalous dispersion cannot occur in a transparent passive medium where electromagnetic radiation is being absorbed at all frequencies, as pointed out by Landau and Lifshitz. Here we show, both theoretically and experimentally, that transparent linear anomalous dispersion can occur when a gain doublet is present. Therefore, a superluminal light-pulse propagation can be observed even at a negative 7group velocity through a transparent medium with almost no pulse distortion. Consequently, a negative transit time is experimentally observed resulting in the peak of the incident light pulse to exit the medium even before entering it. This counterintuitive effect is a direct result of the rephasing process owing to the wave nature of light and is not at odds with either causality or Einstein's theory of special relativity.
The mechanisms leading to a seemingly superluminal propagation of light in dispersive media are examined. The anomalous dispersion near an absorption line, involved in the first experiments displaying negative group velocity propagation, is shown to be not only simpler but also more efficient than the so-called transparent dispersion used in the later experiments of Wang et al. (Nature (London) 406, 277 (2000)) and of Dogariu et al. (Phys.Rev.A 63, 053806 (2001)). The modest pulse advances observed by these authors can in particular be reproduced with a better overall transmittance of the medium and the significant advances attained with a single-line arrangement would probably be unattainable with their gain-doublet arrangement.
We present a simple electronic circuit which produces negative group delays for base-band pulses. When a band-limited pulse is applied as the input, a forwarded pulse appears at the output. The negative group delays in lumped systems share the same mechanism with the superluminal light propagation, which is recently demonstrated in an absorption-free, anomalous dispersive medium [Wang et al., Nature 406, 277 (2000)]. In this circuit, the advance time more than twenty percent of the pulse width can easily be achieved. The time constants, which can be in the order of seconds, is slow enough to be observed with the naked eye by looking at the lamps driven by the pulses.
We study the propagation of light pulses through a transparent anomalous dispersion medium where the group velocity of the pulse exceeds c and can even become negative. Because the medium is transparent, we can apply the Kelvin's method of stationary phase to obtain the general properties of the pulse propagation process for interesting conditions when the group velocity: U < c, U = +/- , and even becomes negative: U < 0. A numerical simulation illustrating pulse propagation at a negative group velocity is also presented. We show how rephasing can produce these unusual pulse propagation phenomena.
Summary form only given. We use gain-assisted linear anomalous dispersion to demonstrate superluminal light pulse propagation with a negative group velocity through a transparent atomic medium. We place two Raman gain peaks closely to obtain an essentially lossless anomalous dispersion region that results in a superluminal group velocity. The group velocity of a pulse in this region exceeds c and can even become negative,while the shape of the pulse is preserved. We measured a negative group velocity index of n/sub g/=-315(/spl plusmn/5). Experimentally, a light pulse propagating through the spin-polarized atomic vapor cell exits from it earlier than propagating through the same distance in vacuum by a time difference that is 315 times of the vacuum light propagation time L/c=0.2 ns.
We present a simple electronic circuit that produces negative delays. When a pulse is sent to the circuit as input, the output is a pulse with a similar wave form that is shifted forward in time. The advance time or negative delay can be increased to the order of seconds so that we can observe the advance with the naked eye by observing two light emitting diodes that are connected to the input and the output. The negative group delay in the electronic circuit shares the same mechanism with superluminal light propagation, where the group velocity exceeds the speed of light or even becomes negative.