PHYSICS SEMINAR
Wednesday,
October 9, 2002
Willet Science Center Lecture Hall
“Fast Light and Slow Light”
Abstract: Experiments have demonstrated that light pulses can be made to propagate with superluminal as well as highly subluminal (or zero!) group velocities. Some basic physical considerations from classical physics, special relativity, and quantum mechanics relating to these developments will be revisited. While there are no violations of ``Einstein causality" or other physical principles, these developments call for a better understanding of what we mean by a ``signal" as a carrier of information.
Please
join us for light refreshments outside WSC 109 at 4:15.