On the velocity of propagation of a signal in nonlinear optical media

Abstract

The maximum velocity of propagation of a signal, which is defined as the velocity of propagation of the wave front, is considered for electromagnetic waves in nonlinear media. It is shown that the magnitude of velocity is determined to a considerable extent on the form of the constitutive equation defining the relation between the polarization of the medium with the radiation field strength. In the noninertial nonlinearity model, this velocity may be smaller (in media with self-focusing nonlinearity) or larger (defocusing nonlinearity) than the velocity of light in vacuum. For real nonlinear media, for which the inertia of their response is taken into account, the wave front velocity coincides with the velocity of light in vacuum.