  Coupled resonator optical waveguides (CROW) can significantly reduce light
propagation pulse velocity due to pronounced dispersion properties. A number of
interesting applications have been proposed to benefit from such slow-light
propagation. Unfortunately, the inevitable presence of disorder, imperfections,
and a finite Q value may heavily affect the otherwise attractive properties of
CROWs. We show how finite a Q factor limits the maximum attainable group delay
time; the group index is limited by Q, but equally important the feasible
device length is itself also limited by damping resulting from a finite Q.
Adding the additional effects of disorder to this picture, limitations become
even more severe due to destructive interference phenomena, eventually in the
form of Anderson localization. Simple analytical considerations demonstrate
that the maximum attainable delay time in CROWs is limited by the intrinsic
photon lifetime of a single resonator.
