Observation of Backwards Pulse Propagation Through a Medium with a Negative Group Velocity

George M. Gehring, Aaron Schweinsberg, Christopher Barsi, Natalie Kostinski and Robert W. Boyd

Science, 312, 895 (2006)

The nature of a pulse propagation through a material with a negative value of a group velocity has been mysterious, as simple models seem to predict the pulses will propagate "backward" through such a material. Using a erbium-doped optical fiber in measuring time evolution at the pulse intesity of many points within the fiber, we demonstrate that the peak of the pulse does propagate backwards inside the fiber, even though the energy flow is always in the forward direction.

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http://spider.pas.rochester.edu:8080/wwwPAS/PASforms/events/pubsShowItem$abstract=The+nature+of+a+pulse+propagation+through+a+material+with+a+negative+value+of+a+group+velocity+has+been+mysterious,+as+simple+models+seem+to+predict+the+pulses+will+propagate+%22backward%22+through+such+a+material.+Using+a+erbium-doped+optical+fiber+in+measuring+time+evolution+at+the+pulse+intesity+of+many+points+within+the+fiber,+we+demonstrate+that+the+peak+of+the+pulse+does+propagate+backwards+inside+the+fiber,+even+though+the+energy+flow+is+always+in+the+forward+direction.&authors=George+M.+Gehring,+Aaron+Schweinsberg,+Christopher+Barsi,+Natalie+Kostinski+and+Robert+W.+Boyd&journal=Science,&page=895&title=Observation+of+Backwards+Pulse+Propagation+Through+a+Medium+with+a+Negative+Group+Velocity&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencemag.org%2Fcgi%2Freprint%2F312%2F5775%2F895.pdf&vol=312&year=2006