Geometrodynamics of polarized light: Berry phase and spin Hall effect in a gradient-index medium

We review the geometrical-optics evolution of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a curved ray trajectory in a gradient-index dielectric medium. A Coriolis-type term appears in Maxwell equations under transition to the rotating coordinate system accompanying the ray. This term describes the sp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of optics. A, Pure and applied optics Vol. 11; no. 9; p. 094009
Main Author Bliokh, Konstantin Y
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published IOP Publishing 01.09.2009
Subjects
Angular momentum
Berries
Electromagnetic waves
Evolution
Hall effect
Maxwell equation
Trajectories
Wave propagation
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ISSN1464-4258
1741-3567
DOI10.1088/1464-4258/11/9/094009

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Summary:We review the geometrical-optics evolution of an electromagnetic wave propagating along a curved ray trajectory in a gradient-index dielectric medium. A Coriolis-type term appears in Maxwell equations under transition to the rotating coordinate system accompanying the ray. This term describes the spin--orbit coupling of light which consists of (i) the Berry phase responsible for trajectory-dependent polarization variations and (ii) the spin Hall effect representing polarization-dependent trajectory perturbations. These mutual phenomena are described within universal geometrical structures underlying the problem and are explained by the dynamics of the intrinsic angular momentum carried by the wave. Such close geometrodynamical interrelations illuminate a dual physical nature of the phenomena.
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ISSN:1464-4258
1741-3567
DOI:10.1088/1464-4258/11/9/094009