  Light pulses propagating through ZnO undergo distortions caused by both bound
and free excitons. Numerous lines of bound excitons dissect the pulse and
induce slowing of light around them, to the extend dependent on their nature.
Exciton-polariton resonances determine the overall pulse delay and attenuation.
The delay time of the higher-energy edge of a strongly curved light stripe
approaches 1.6 ns at 3.374 eV with a 0.3 mm propagation length. Modelling the
data of cw and time-of-flight spectroscopies has enabled us to determine the
excitonic parameters, inherent for bulk ZnO. We reveal the restrictions on
these parameters induced by the light attenuation, as well as a discrepancy
between the parameters characterizing the surface and internal regions of the
crystal.
