Front induced transitions: Refractive index fronts in dispersive waveguides

Moving refractive index fronts in waveguides with dispersion is a special type of spatio-temporal modulation leading to the change of signal frequency and wavenumber. The interaction of light with such fronts allows frequency conversion, light stopping, optical delays as well as bandwidth and pulse duration manipulation. We will present theoretical and experimental examples of signal transmission, reflection and trapping by the front and highlight special situations such as light stopping, time reversal or optical push broom effect. We will geometrically consider indirect transitions in the dispersion relation using the phase continuity relation at the front and present numerical solutions of the linear Schrödinger equation which follows from the slowly varying envelope approximation of the wave equation. In particular, for highly dispersive waveguides a temporal evolution of the spatial wave envelopes are considered in contrast to conventional spatial evolution of temporal envelopes. Further, we will present an overview of experimental results and estimate the maximal achievable effects for each of the application in different waveguide systems.

Subjects

Dynamic manipulation of light

Front induced transition

Nonlinear photonics

Silicon waveguides

Funding(s)

Relativistische photonische Bandlückenspiegel in der integrierten Optik

Options

Front induced transitions: Refractive index fronts in dispersive waveguides