title: Slowing light down by low magnetic fields: pulse delay by transient spectral hole-burning in ruby.
abstract: We report on the observation of slow light induced by transient spectral hole-burning in a solid, that is based on excited-state population storage. Experiments were conducted in the R1-line (2E←4A2 transition) of a 2.3 mm thick pink ruby (Al2O3:Cr(III) 130 ppm). Importantly, the pulse delay can be controlled by the application of a low external magnetic field B||c≤9 mT and delays of up to 11 ns with minimal pulse distortion are observed for ~55 ns Gaussian pulses. The delay corresponds to a group velocity value of ~c/1400. The experiment is very well modelled by linear spectral filter theory and the results indicate the possibility of using transient hole-burning based slow light experiments as a spectroscopic technique.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia. h.riesen@adfa.edu.au
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riesen
authors.forename: Aleksander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Rebane
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Carceller
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008027:Light; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation