Best Common Folk Materials Slowing Light Down?

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The discussion centers on finding common materials that can slow down photons, with a particular interest in those with high refractive indices, potentially exceeding 3.5. Diamond and quartz are noted for their high refractive indices, but alternatives like ruby and silicon are suggested as viable options for achieving slow light effects. Participants clarify that photons are not truly slowed but are absorbed and re-emitted by materials, creating the appearance of reduced speed. There is also mention of ferroelectric materials with extremely high refractive indices, such as MgCaTi, which can reach values in the hundreds. Overall, the thread highlights the search for accessible materials that can effectively manipulate light speeds for various applications.
parlous
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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
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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