Best Common Folk Materials Slowing Light Down?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter parlous
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Light Materials
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying common materials that can slow down light, particularly focusing on their refractive indices. Participants explore various options, including natural and synthetic materials, while considering practical limitations and the physics behind light propagation in different media.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the potential of an Einstein-Bose Condensate (BEC) to slow electromagnetic energies but expresses practical limitations in creating one.
  • Another participant questions whether photons are truly slowed, suggesting they are absorbed and re-emitted, which gives the appearance of reduced speed.
  • A participant mentions ferroelectric materials with very high refractive indices, specifically citing a compound with an index of 20.
  • There is a reiteration that photons are absorbed and emitted by matter, which aligns with the goal of maximizing photon density in a given space.
  • A participant shares their experience in researching materials for slowing light, highlighting ruby as a simple option with group indices around 10^6 and offering to share their thesis on the topic.
  • Silicon is proposed as a material with a refractive index around 3.5 for certain wavelengths, noted for its affordability.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the nature of light slowing in materials, with some emphasizing the absorption and re-emission process while others focus on the refractive indices of different materials. No consensus is reached on the best materials or methods for slowing light.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss limitations related to the availability and practicality of materials, as well as the dependence on specific wavelengths for certain materials like silicon.

Who May Find This Useful

Researchers and students interested in optics, materials science, and experimental physics may find this discussion relevant.

parlous
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I'm aware that an Einstein-Bose Condensate can be made to slow EM energies to slow speeds but I really don't have the $$$ nor time to make a BEC. I also wouldn't be able to get the BEC shape in any form I need either. Therefore, what materials exist that can help me slow down some photons?

I know that diamond and quartz have relatively high refractive indexes, but am wondering if there are materials with indexes as high as 3.5?

I would trade a lower refractive index for the ability to transfer a large range of energies the same, ie - like diamond. Are there any polymers that can do what I am looking for?

Thanks,
Parlous
 
Science news on Phys.org
Well I'm off topic but are the photons really slowed? they still go at the speed of light... they just get absorbed by the material & the re-immited by the material & they then appear slower? am I right ? anyways I don't any materials with higher refractive index then diamonds but what do I know...
 
There are ferroelectric materials with index of refraction in the 100's. The MgCaTi compound that I deal with has index of refraction of 20.

Zz.
 
Thats right logik, photons r just repeatedly absorbed and emitted by matter. For my case this is fine; I'm simple try to stuff as many photons n a space per unit time as possible.

ZapperZ, thanks for the leads!
 
parlous said:
I'm aware that an Einstein-Bose Condensate can be made to slow EM energies to slow speeds but I really don't have the $$$ nor time to make a BEC. I also wouldn't be able to get the BEC shape in any form I need either. Therefore, what materials exist that can help me slow down some photons?

I know that diamond and quartz have relatively high refractive indexes, but am wondering if there are materials with indexes as high as 3.5?

I would trade a lower refractive index for the ability to transfer a large range of energies the same, ie - like diamond. Are there any polymers that can do what I am looking for?

Thanks,
Parlous

Wow, I wish I had seen this thread earlier. The whole point of my PhD thesis was finding a simple material that you could get slow light (group indices ~10^6). One of the simplest is ruby. http://www.optics.rochester.edu/workgroups/boyd/slowlight/slowlight.html a link to the group where I did my graduate work. There are several papers you can download from there. Send me a PM if you have any trouble and I can forward copies to you. I can even send you my thesis (pdf) if you want.

BTW, there is nothing special about a BEC in the creation of huge group velocities. Using the same physics, people have created slow light in hot rubidium vapor and other systems.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
parlous said:
I [...] am wondering if there are materials with indexes as high as 3.5?

Silicon has about that refractive index for some wavelengths. It surely is amongst the cheapest interesting materials too.
 

Similar threads

Graduate Feasibility of Micro‑Plasma–Induced Refractive‑Index Phase Modulation
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
Graduate Why does the speed of light change in different media?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
Graduate Speed of light in unusual materials
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
6K
Graduate Photons through transparent materials, what's going on?
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
8K
Undergrad Does slowing light with a BEC change any of its properties?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Graduate Light in medium, time gets affected?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Undergrad Why the Frequency of Light Does Not Change Through a Medium
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
6K
Graduate Refractive index and dispersion (name & usage of eq and conceptual questions)
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
5K
Graduate Moving faster than the speed of light
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
5K
High School Near the speed of light time slows down but not at everyday speeds?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K