All Problems

Dispersion and Absorption of Light

Problem 5.211

A train of plane light waves propagates in the medium where the phase velocity vv is a linear function of wavelength: v=v= =a+bλ,=a+b \lambda, where aa and bb are some positive constants. Demonstrate that in such a medium the shape of an arbitrary train of light waves is restored after the time interval τ=1/b\tau=1 / b.

Reveal Answer
Itissufficienttodiscussthreeharmoniccomponentsofthetrainofwaves(mosteasilywiththehelpofaplotIt is sufficient to discuss three harmonic components of the train of waves (most easily with the help of a plot