The control of the group velocity of optical signals has been widely demonstrated using various optical phenomena and different media. Slow and fast light is achieved in a controllable manner by modifying the refractive index dispersion through light induced modifications of the material or the structural properties of the medium. The potential for a continuous tuning of the phase or time delay of broadband microwave signals modulating the optical carrier opens previously unexplored horizons. The talk will review the recent advancements and the future directions of slow and fast light research with an emphasis on microwave-photonics applications.
This paper focuses in slow light and its application in microwave photonics. It makes a brief review of microwave photonics evolution from its inception to new emerging topics. Subsequently, the principles, techniques, and applications of slow light in microwave photonics are addressed more in depth. Finally, the photonic crystal approach is presented as a promising approach to slow-light-based microwave photonics devices. The peculiar design flexibility of this approach is demonstrated with a series of simulations.