0 0 u025b b u2062 u2062 11 2 therefore materials that possess an anisotropic dielectric permittivity can fulfill the afm symmetry criterion in accord with one embodiment of the presently disclosed invention provided herein is a materials perspective to guide the development of practical optical devices based on slowed light more specifically according to one embodiment of the present invention disclosed are a variety of modalities wherein a crystal or other suitable material of higher symmetry can be rotated such that the material appears in the laboratory system as having off diagonal u03b5 elements and thus can have a permittivity tensor with at least one non zero off diagonal element i e u03b5 12 and or u03b5 23 u2260 0 in particular the methods can include rotating or otherwise modifying the material such that the natural geometrical axis is canted with respect to the axial system of a composite structure including the material so as to display the desired off diagonal u03b5 elements in the material according to another embodiment of the invention disclosed are a variety of modalities wherein a suitable material can be modified through application of one or more forces such that the material appears in the laboratory system as having off diagonal u03b5 elements and thus can have a permittivity tensor with at least one non zero off diagonal element i e u03b5 12 and or u03b5 23 u2260 0 according to another embodiment the invention is directed to structures including anisotropic materials that can feature the requisite off diagonal u03b5 elements layered in parallel alignment with isotropic materials in particular the structures can include one or.