Optimal pulse penetration in Lorentz-Model dielectrics using the Sommerfeld and Brillouin precursors.

Under proper initial conditions, the interrelated effects of phase and attenuation dispersion in ultrawideband pulse propagation modify the input pulse into precursor fields. Because of their minimal decay in a given dispersive medium, precursor-type pulses possess optimal penetration into that material at the frequency-chirped Lambert-Beer's law limit, making them ideally suited for remote sensing and medical imaging.