Complex-angle analysis of electromagnetic waves on interfaces
Abstract
Electromagnetic wave is reflected and refracted at interfaces, satisfying Fresnel-Snell law which is required by conservations of energy and momentum. If the incident angle is lower than the critical angle, we can use this Fresnel-Snell law, but the Fresnel-Snell law is modified in the case of existence of dissipation () or in the condition of total internal reflection. In the cases, we have to extend the angle of refraction from real number to complex number (). In this paper, by using complex-angle approach, we analyse the behaviour of electromagnetic waves in various kind of interfaces: dielectric - dielectric system, dissipative dielectric - dielectric system, and metal - dielectric system. We show that iso-frequency curves in wavenumber space is opened in the case where , and closed either when or when ("Lifshitz transition" of electromagnetic waves). Excess momentum (wavenumber) and anomalous spin (circular polarization) emerging with the transition are also discussed.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1806.11482,
title = {Complex-angle analysis of electromagnetic waves on interfaces},
author = {Daigo Oue},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1806.11482},
year = {2019}
}