Concept of Group Velocity in Resonant Pulse Propagation

Abstract

It is shown that the prediction of Garrett and McCumber that a light pulse's velocity may exceed the speed of light in a resonantly absorbing medium is due to asymmetric absorption of energy from the light pulse. More energy is absorbed from the trailing half of the pulse than from the front half, causing the center of gravity of the pulse to move at a velocity greater than the phase velocity of light. It is also shown that in certain cases a pulse's maximum will propagate at the group velocity even when the pulse as a whole is distorted by dispersion.