Slow-light fourier transform interferometer.
We describe a new type of Fourier transform (FT) interferometer in which the tunable optical delay between the two arms is realized by using a continuously variable slow-light medium instead of a moving arm as in a conventional setup. The spectral resolution of such a FT interferometer exceeds that of a conventional setup of comparable size by a factor equal to the maximum group index of the slow-light medium. The scheme is experimentally demonstrated by using a rubidium atomic vapor cell as the tunable slow-light medium, and the spectral resolution is enhanced by a factor of approximately 100.
Shi
Zhimin
Z
The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 USA. zshi@optics.rochester.edu
Boyd
Robert W
RW
Camacho
Ryan M
RM
Vudyasetu
Praveen K
PK
Howell
John C
JC