On the dynamics of light-induced anisotropy under conditions of nonstationary excitation and on one imitation of stopped light

A model approach to the problem of the dynamics of the light-induced dichroism of a photochromic medium under conditions of optical excitation with time-dependent polarization and intensity is proposed. The approach developed has a simple geometric interpretation based on the Poincare sphere method and is insensitive to the micromechanism of formation of the anisotropy. As an illustration. one of the experiments on slowing down and halting of light is analyzed and it is shown that the interpretation of the experimental data presented in that paper is erroneous. (C) 2004 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".