Dynamic manipulation of light has received considerable attention in recent years. The process of an optical signal undergoing a transition between two modes of a photonic structure is referred to as a photonic transition. We show that a signal wave interacting with a free carrier front in a slow light waveguide experiences indirect photonic transitions leading to reflection from the moving front. Theory and experimental results are presented. The front induced dynamic frequency conversion is also compared to the frequency shifting based on other nonlinear effects like cross-phase modulation and four wave mixing.
