Engineered structures that can alter the speed of light could benefit optical communication systems
Friday, July 17, 2015 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
A method for designing materials capable of slowing the propagation of light over a broad range of wavelengths has been developed. The speed of light in a vacuum is always constant -- a fundamental concept made famous by Albert Einstein. But light propagates more slowly when it enters a different medium, such as glass. The degree to which the speed is reduced is given by a material's dielectric constant -- a higher dielectric constant indicates slower propagation. Rather than rely on a limited source of natural substances, scientists have started to design optical materials with a broader range of beneficial properties including 'slow' light.