Slow light in nonlocal anisotropic metamaterials

We analyze spectrum of waveguide modes of an arbitrary uniaxial anisotropic metamaterial slab with non-local electromagnetic response whose permittivity tensor could be described within Drude approximation. Spatial dispersion was introduced within the hydrodynamical model. Both anisotropy and spatial dispersion were considered as perturbations. Spatial dispersion is shown to result in suppression of negative dispersion induced by anisotropy. Mutual effect of spatial dispersion and anisotropy can bring light to a complete stop at certain frequencies even in the presence of finite intrinsic losses.