Wide-band transmission of nondistorted slow waves in one-dimensional optical superlattices

Few micron-thick one-dimensional optical superlattices were designed and grown, in which an optimized choice of external dielectric layers allows the formation of a wide and high transmission miniband of coupled cavity states. In such structures a reduction in light group velocity and minimal line shape distortion of propagating optical signal was observed. Group velocity reduction by a factor of 5, obtained both from phase (white-light interferometry) and from time-resolved measurements, is in reasonably good agreement with those calculated through a transfer matrix approach. Time-resolved experiments confirm the minimal line shape distortion for optical pulses of 1.8 THz bandwidth at lambda=1.5 mu m wavelength.