Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Optically active media have the helical and dissymmetric crystal structure, which constrains the motions of the electrons to a helical path under the influence of the incident electric field. The charge flow along the helices induces a magnetic field in the direction of the axis of helices. The helical structure hence acts as natural micro-solenoids for the electromagnetic waves passing through them. Optical rotation is related to the difference in the accumulative Aharonov–Bohm (AB) phase between the right- and the left-circularly polarized waves. The AB phase is proportional to the angular momentum of an electron moving around the micro-solenoid. Originally the AB phase is shown to be a continuous function of the magnetic flux. However, quantization of the geometrical angular momentum leads to the quantized AB phase. The rotatory power and the Verdet constant are proportional to the refractive index of the medium. The quantized current in the micro-solenoid is proportional to the Bohr magneton and inversely proportional to the area of the helices.
Author: C Z Tan
Institution: Freie Universität Berlin
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Award: 入射光在压电晶体内的自调制现象研究
OpenAlex ID: W2018893870