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Why do we need slow light?

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The extreme speed at which light moves, and the fact that photons do not tend to interact with transparent matter, is of enormous benefit to mankind. It allows us to see deep into the Universe and to transmit data over long distances in optical fibres. So, why slow light down?

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Figure 1: Faster is not always better, as the fable of the hare and the tortoise demonstrates.
Figure 2: Illustration of the slow-light intensity enhancement.

© 2007 IOP

Figure 3: Dispersion (ω–k) diagram for slow light.

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  1. is in the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, Fife, KY16 9SS, UK. tfk@st-andrews.ac.uk,

    Thomas F. Krauss

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  1. Thomas F. Krauss
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Krauss, T. Why do we need slow light?. Nature Photon 2, 448–450 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2008.139

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