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arXiv · 1507.03555

Necessity of Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking for the Polar Kerr Effect in Linear Response

Weejee Cho·Steven A. Kivelson
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Abstract

We show that, measured in a backscattering geometry, the polar Kerr effect is absent if the nonlocal electromagnetic response function respects Onsager symmetry, characteristic of thermodynamic states that preserve time-reversal symmetry. A key element is an expression for the reflectivity tensor in terms of the retarded Green's function.

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Weejee Cho, Steven A. Kivelson. 2016-02-26. Necessity of Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking for the Polar Kerr Effect in Linear Response. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.116.093903

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