Slow-light optical buffers: capabilities and fundamental limitations

Tucker, R.S.; Ku, Pei-Cheng; Chang-Hasnain, Connie J.

doi:10.1109/jlt.2005.853125

Cited by 494 publications

(264 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…However, as pointed out by many valuable studies 7,[47][48][49] , the storage capability of slow-and fast-light delay lines based on amplifying spectral resonances, such as those presented in this review, are still far below the expectations for optically buffering a bit sequence. A simple analysis shows that storing a bit sequence of more than five bits remains unrealistic 8,50 .…”

Section: Review Article | Focusmentioning

confidence: 90%

Slow and fast light in optical fibres

2008

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The ubiquitous role of optical fibres in modern photonic systems has stimulated research to realize slow and fast light devices directly in this close-to-perfect transmission line. Recent progress in developing optically controlled delays in optical fibres, operating under normal environmental conditions and at telecommunication wavelengths, has paved the way towards real applications for slow and fast light. This review presents the state-of-the-art research in this fascinating field and possible outcomes in the near future. The development of high-quality silica optical fibres with excellent transmission capabilities has directly contributed to the tremendous expansion of the global communication network. The success is due to their unrivalled low-loss performance (typically 50% of light is still present after a 15-km transmission distance), their wide bandwidth, which allows terabits per second of information to be transmitted over more than 1,000 km, and also their extremely low production cost. Realizing tunable delays for optical data signals directly in fibres, as well as integrating such devices into existing communication networks, is certainly a very attractive approach for optimizing the flow of data traffic in future networks. The approach may also enhance the capabilities of optical and microwave-on-optical-carrier signal processing. Given the limited possibilities for engineering the dispersion curve of standard single-mode fibres without creating complex photonic-crystal structures (see pages 448 and 465 of this issue 1,2 ), much research on fibre-based delays has been directed towards solutions based on spectral resonances to generate slow and fast light. The initial pioneering demonstrations of slow and fast light in various media all exploited narrow spectral resonances, typically created by electromagnetically induced transparency 3 or coherent population oscillation 4 . Narrow spectral resonances have a dramatic effect on optical propagation, as any sharp spectral change in the medium's transmission curve results in a steep quasi-linear variation of the effective refractive index with wavelength in the narrow spectral region near the resonance. This in turn results in a strong change in the group velocity at the exact centre of the resonance 5 . The velocity change is strongest for narrower spectral resonances (as explained in detail below) and for this reason, the early experiments were all carried out in special media, such as ultracold atomic gases or atomic transitions in a crystalline solid at a well-defined wavelength. Luc ThévenazWithin the resonance, the relationship between the change in the optical transmission and the delay can be determined as follows. The refractive-index change, Δn, as a function of the optical frequency, ν, is calculated using the Kramers-Kronig transformation, and the index change associated with the group velocity, Δn g , is then found using the relationship Δn g = Δn + ν(dΔn/dν) (ref. 5). Finally, the delay, ΔT, added to the normal transit time in the medium...

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Section: Review Article | Focusmentioning

confidence: 90%

Slow and fast light in optical fibres

2008

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“…In that case, the excess delay introduced compared to propagation through a vacuum is a time More substantially, we can use this form, Eq. (7), to compare to the specific limits of Tucker et al [7]. In the loss-less case …”

Section: Fundamental Limit To Linear One-dimensional Slow Light Strucmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…[7][8][9]). For applications in control of information flow, the number of pulse widths or "bit times" by which the signal can be delayed is particularly important.…”

Section: Fundamental Limit To Linear One-dimensional Slow Light Strucmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For a set of coupled resonators (including the possibility of ideal dispersive material in the resonators), Tucker et al give a limit / avg c Ln λ . Tucker et al [7] implicitly assume that resonators can be made with lengths ~ / 2 c λ . Such a resonator likely must use high index contrast in the structure, so min avg n n − (or equivalently max min n n − ) must be somewhat greater than unity, and again we can conclude our limit exceeds that of Tucker et al [7] in this case also.…”

Section: Fundamental Limit To Linear One-dimensional Slow Light Strucmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fundamental Limit to Linear One-Dimensional Slow Light Structures

Miller¹

2007

Phys. Rev. Lett.

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Using a new general approach to limits in optical structures that counts orthogonal waves generated by scattering, we derive an upper limit to the number of bits of delay possible in one-dimensional slow light structures that are based on linear optical response to the signal field. The limit is essentially the product of the length of the structure in wavelengths and the largest relative change in dielectric constant anywhere in the structure at any frequency of interest. It holds for refractive index, absorption or gain variations with arbitrary spectral or spatial form. It is otherwise completely independent of the details of the structure's design, and does not rely on concepts of group velocity or group delay

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“…Low-dimension semiconductor nanostructures have recently attracted much attention because of their wide physical interest and their potential device applications such as low current density threshold lasers [1,2], all-optical buffers [3,4], saturable absorbers [5], optical memories [6], etc. Among the variety of such materials the quantum dashes (strongly elongated quantum dots) are of growing interest now due to perspectives in optoelectronic applications, especially in telecommunication lasers operating at 1.55 mm and longer wavelengths [7][8][9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%