Measurement of net group and reshaping delays for optical pulses in dispersive media.

We experimentally demonstrate the direct measurement of net group and reshaping delays for arbitrary optical pulses in dispersive media, verifying the earlier prediction of Peatross et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2370 (2000)]. Incoherent pulse propagation in an absorptionless system is well described by net group delay; even the medium causes a great deal of deformation in the transmitted pulse. However, in the case of phase modulated chirping pulses in a resonant absorber, the so-called superluminal or subluminal propagation velocity is strongly influenced by the reshaping delay.