We experimentally study the fields close to an interface between two photonic crystal waveguides that have different dispersion properties. After the transition from a waveguide in which the group velocity of light is v_(g) approx c/10 to a waveguide in which it is v_(g) approx c/100, we observe a gradual increase in the field intensity and the lateral spreading of the mode. We attribute this evolution to the existence of a weakly evanescent mode that exponentially decays away from the interface. We compare this to the situation where the transition between the waveguides only leads to a minor change in group velocity and show that, in that case, the evolution is absent. Furthermore, we apply novel numerical mode extraction techniques to confirm experimental results.
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