Slow light with large fractional delays by spectral hole-burning in rubidium vapor

We report on the experimental realization of large fractional pulse delays in a hot, Doppler-broadened rubidium vapor. A pump laser burns a deep spectral hole in the inhomogeneously broadened vapor. The delay is shown to be widely tunable by both power broadening the resonance and frequency modulating the pump laser. The simplicity of the scheme opens up the possibility for practical optical delays and buffers.