We discuss the transient effects associated with short-pulse propagation in a linearly dispersive medium by comparing optical precursors with $0\pi$ pulses. The classical and quantum effects were, in the past, treated independently due to the different time scales. Using results from recent studies [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 143901 (2006) ] as well as the discussions by Varoquaux et al. [Phys. Rev. B. 34, 7617 (1989)] and Bürck [Hyperfine Interact. 123, 483 (1999)] , we show analytically that precursors and $0\pi$ pulses describe the same physical phenomenon. We also show that most published results of transient pulse propagation can be expressed using one overarching equation. Finally, we give a physical interpretation of the analogy between precursors and $0\pi$ pulses as a medium-impulse response using a Green’s function.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Measurement of the polarization of high-order harmonics from aligned N₂ molecules by spatial interferometry (OL)
• Angular displacement and deformation analyses using a speckle-based wavefront sensor (AO)
• Shaping the spatiotemporal dynamics of the electron density in a hybrid metal-semiconductor nanostructure (OL)
• Evolution of Sommerfeld and Brillouin precursors in intermediate spectral regimes (JOSAB)
• Spatial–spectral distribution of Rabi radiation generated in plasma (OL)

Related Conference Papers

• Interferometric Characterization of Deep Ultraviolet Femtosecond Pulses by Multi-Photon Ionization/Mass Spectrometer
• Higher Order Soliton Breakup in Air-Filled Hollow Core Photonic Bandgap Fibers
• Coherent Pulse Propagation in Water
• Coherence properties of the supercontinuum source
• Ultrafast Electron Diffraction Using Femtosecond Electron Pulses from Laser-Produced Plasmas
• Ultrafast Electron Diffraction Using Femtosecond Electron Pulses from Laser-Produced Plasmas