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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Using Microwave and Macroscopic Samples of Dielectric Solids to Study the Photonic Properties of Disordered Photonic Bandgap Materials

Using Microwave and Macroscopic Samples of Dielectric Solids to Study the Photonic Properties of Disordered Photonic Bandgap Materials

Published on: September 26, 2014

Single-photon propagation through dielectric bandgaps.

Natalia Borjemscaia¹, Sergey V Polyakov, Paul D Lett

¹Department of Physics, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA. nrutter@nist.gov

|February 23, 2010

Summary

Photon traversal times through dielectric stacks show surprising speed variations, challenging the Hartman effect. Subtle structural changes drastically alter photon speeds, revealing new insights into light propagation.

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Area of Science:

Quantum optics and condensed matter physics.
Photonics and wave propagation phenomena.

Background:

Theoretical models predict a saturation of photon propagation time with barrier length (Hartman effect) in dielectric stacks due to Bragg reflection.
This effect is known to be sensitive to minor structural modifications, leading to significant variations in observed photon speeds.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the suitability of photonic bandgaps as a model for photon tunneling processes.
To experimentally observe and analyze the impact of subtle structural changes in dielectric stacks on photon traversal times.
To explore the occurrence of apparent sub- and super-luminal photon propagation.

Main Methods:

Experimental manipulation of dielectric stack structures.
Precise measurement of photon traversal times through these barriers.
Development of a model to correlate Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) visibility with wavepacket distortion.

Main Results:

Observed that subtle structural alterations in dielectric stacks significantly influence photon traversal times.
Demonstrated conditions leading to apparent sub-luminal and super-luminal photon propagation effects.
Introduced a model linking HOM visibility to wavepacket distortion, excluding it as the cause of contrast loss.

Conclusions:

Photonic bandgaps offer a viable optical model for understanding photon tunneling.
The Hartman effect's predictions are highly sensitive to minute structural variations in dielectric barriers.
Apparent super-luminal and sub-luminal photon behaviors can be induced by controlled structural modifications.