A.A. Sukhorukov, A.V. Lavrinenko, D.N. Chigrin, D.E. Pelinovsky, and Yu.S. Kivshar

Shaping slow-light pulses in coupled periodic waveguides

Abstract:
Periodic waveguides bring a new twist onto the typical waveguiding problems been intermediate case between photonic crystal waveguides and photonic wires or ridge waveguides. We develop an asymptotic theory applicable for a broad class of coupled periodic waveguide structures, and use the analytical expressions to identify the generic types of dispersion in the vicinity of a photonic band-edge, where the group velocity of light is reduced. We show that the dispersion can be controlled by the longitudinal shift between the waveguides. We also reveal through finite-difference time-domain simulations novel features of spatial and temporal pulse reshaping associated with different types of slow-light dispersion.

Keywords:
Optical waveguides, slow light, photonic band gaps, dispersion relations, pulse propagation in periodic materials.