在室温下观测到了固体材料中的慢光现象,用氩离子激光(514.5 nm)单光束入射到红宝石晶体中,利用光谱烧孔使介质折射率发生急剧变化,导致光的群速变慢,实验上观测的时延为2.317 ms,对应的光的群速值为43.215 m/s.

Slow light propagation is initially observed in solid state materials at room temperature. The slowdown of light resulting from dramatic change of refractive index by spectral hole technique in Ruby at 514.5 nm is investigated. Measured delay is about 2.31 ms, corresponding to group velocity as low as 43.215 m/s.