Published January 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

Wave surfaces and wave velocities in optics of non-absorbing optically active media

  • 1. Department of Theoretical Physics, Belarussian State University, Independence Avenue 4, Minsk 220030 (Belarus)

Description

General relations between phase normal vectors, refraction vectors and ray refraction vectors as well as between phase and ray velocities of plane waves are obtained for linear non-absorbing optically active (bianisotropic) media. For such media the geometric constraint on the wave surfaces is discussed. Equality of the group and ray velocities of the monochromatic plane waves in dispersive bianisotropic media is proven. It is shown that the degree of the ray surface equation generally exceeds the degree of the refraction surface and phase velocity surface equations but it cannot be greater than 108. In particular, for gyrotropic dielectric media of symmetry classes 3, 3-bar, 4, 4-bar, 4/m, 6, 6-bar and 6/m it equals 12. The domain of applicability of the duality principle known in optics of anisotropic media is determined

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2040-8978/12/1/015105

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/2040-8978/12/1/015105;
PII
S2040-8978(10)29513-7;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Optics (Online)
Journal Volume
12
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[9 p.]
ISSN
2040-8986

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
45019250
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
ANISOTROPY; DIELECTRIC MATERIALS; DUALITY; IMAGES; LIMITING VALUES; MONOCHROMATIC RADIATION; OPTICS; PHASE VELOCITY; REFRACTION; SYMMETRY; VECTORS; WAVE PROPAGATION
Descriptors DEC
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; MATERIALS; RADIATIONS; TENSORS; VELOCITY