English

Spin-orbit interactions in optically active materials

Optics 2017-03-07 v1

Abstract

We investigate the inherent influence of light polarization on the intensity distribution in anisotropic media undergoing a local inhomogeneous rotation of the principal axes. Whereas in general such configuration implies a complicated interaction between geometric and dynamic phase, we show that, in a medium showing an inhomogeneous circular birefringence, the geometric phase vanishes. Due to the spin-orbit interaction, the two circular polarizations perceive reversed spatial distribution of the dynamic phase. Based upon this effect, polarization-selective lens, waveguides and beam deflectors are proposed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1703.01823,
  title  = {Spin-orbit interactions in optically active materials},
  author = {Alessandro Alberucci and Chandroth Pannian Jisha},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1703.01823},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

5 pages, 4 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-22T18:36:50.604Z