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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
Pulse compression and broadening by reflection from a moving front of a photonic crystal
Abstract:
Previously, the effect of pulse bandwidth compression or broadening was observed in reflection from a moving front together with the Doppler shift. In this letter, an approach is presented, which alters pulse bandwidth without change in the central frequency. It occurs when light is reflected from a moving front of an otherwise stationary photonic crystal. This means that the photonic crystal lattice as such is stationary and only its boundary to the environment is moving, thus extruding (or shortening) the photonic crystal medium. The compression (broadening) factor depends on the front velocity and is the same as for the conventional Doppler shift. Complete reflection and transformation of the pulse can be achieved even with weak refractive index contrast, what makes the approach experimentally viable.
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