Keywords
energy flow, optical pulses, dispersive media, Poynting vector
Abstract
The arrival time of a light pulse at a point in space is defined using a time expectation integral over the Poynting vector. The delay between pulse arrival times at two distinct points is shown to consist of two parts: a spectral superposition of group delays (inverse of group velocity) and a delay due to spectral reshaping via absorption or amplification. The result provides a context wherein group velocity is always meaningful even for broad band pulses and when the group velocity is superluminal or negative. The result imposes luminality on sharply defined pulses.
Original Publication Citation
Physical Review Letters, vol 84, no 11, pp 237-2373.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Glasgow, Scott; Ware, Michael; and Peatross, Justin, "Average Energy Flow of Optical Pulses in Dispersive Media" (2000). Faculty Publications. 599.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/599
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2000-03-13
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/1251
Publisher
The American Physical Society. http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PRE/v64/i4/e4661
Language
English
College
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Department
Physics and Astronomy
Copyright Status
© 2000 The American Physical Society
Copyright Use Information
http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/