Experimental Research Of The Dispersive Slow Light Interferometer

In the recent years there has been considerable interest in the development of slow light techniques as an important branch of optical research. Not only the control of propagation velocity of light pulses has realized in many methods but also achieved progresses in some practical applications such as the optical delay lines, optical buffers, optical communications and optical sensing. The slow light interferometer which is an important application of the slow light technology, can improve the sensitivity and spectral resolution of interferometers remarkably. The main works about this kind of interferometer of this paper are listed as follows.The spectral sensitive of trapeziform interferometer is given out which is in direct proportion to the group index of slow light medium. Base on the quantum mechanical theory we calculated the dispersive characters of many kinds of semiconductor. In these semiconductor GaAs is chosen as the slow light medium of this interferometer because of its spectral window at 895-910nm with large group index. An experimental system is established to research the effect of inserting a dispersive slow medium to a interferometer. And the result of this experiment validated the relationship between the spectral sensitivity and group index, which proved the dispersive medium can enhance the sensitive of the interferometer.Considering the optical delay phenomenon in the slow light medium the performance of Fourier-transform interferometer can be improved by the introducing of this kind of medium. And the fundamental equations of this slow light Fourier-Transform interferometer are deduced. The advantages of it to the traditional one are revealed by the fundamental theory. A kind of imaging slow light Fourier-transform interferometer is designed base on the theory mentioned before, in which the Rb vapour cell is the controllable slow light component. Using the density matrix theory we establish a theoretical model which can simulate the process of temperature control of group velocity. The whole spectral analysis process of slow light Fourier-transform interferometer can be given out for the first time using the numerical results of the model mentioned before. The feasibility and improvement of slow light Fourier-transform interferometer is discussed upon the theory and simulative calculation of that model.