Comment on "Rotary Photon Drag Enhanced by a Slow-Light Medium [1]"

TL;DR

This paper critically examines a previous claim about slow-light enhanced rotary photon drag, arguing that the observed effects are due to known saturable absorption phenomena rather than the claimed slow-light effects.

Contribution

It provides a critical analysis showing that the previous experimental results are explained by saturable absorption, challenging the original interpretation of slow-light enhancement.

Findings

Observed effects are due to saturable absorption, not slow light.

Theoretical analysis supports the saturable absorption explanation.

Original claims of slow-light enhancement are not supported by the data.

Abstract

The observations reported by Franke-Arnold et al (SCIENCE Reports, 1 July 2011 p. 65) do not provide evidence of slow light enhanced rotary photon drag as claimed, but arise from well-known saturable absorption phenomena consistent with the use of a spectrally broad light source, as described in their theoretical analysis (supporting online material)