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Slow light using wave mixing in liquid crystal light valve

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Abstract

By performing optical two-wave mixing in a liquid crystal light valve, we are able to slow down optical pulses to group velocities as slow as a few tenths of mm/s, corresponding to a very large group index. We present experiment and model of the slow light process occurring in liquid crystal light valves. The large group index corresponds to having a large sensitivity for phase variations, a property that can be used to increase the sensitivity of Fourier transform interferometer. We show that when a liquid crystal light valve is inserted in a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, the effect of frequency perturbations at the input of the system is amplified by a factor related to the group delay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Non Linéaire de Nice, Université de Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, 1361 Route des Lucioles, 06560, Valbonne, France

    S. Residori & U. Bortolozzo

  2. Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Verona, Ca’ Vignal 2, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134, Verona, Italy

    U. Bortolozzo

  3. Thales Research & Technology, RD 128, 91767, Palaiseau Cedex, France

    J. P. Huignard

Authors
  1. S. Residori
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  2. U. Bortolozzo
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  3. J. P. Huignard
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Correspondence to S. Residori.

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Residori, S., Bortolozzo, U. & Huignard, J.P. Slow light using wave mixing in liquid crystal light valve. Appl. Phys. B 95, 551–557 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-009-3556-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-009-3556-2

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