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arXiv · 1802.09866

Non-Abelian gauge field optics

Yuntian Chen·Ruo-Yang Zhang·Zhongfei Xiong·Zhi Hong Hang·Jensen Li·Jian Qi Shen·C. T. Chan
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Abstract

The concept of gauge field is a cornerstone of modern physics and the synthetic gauge field has emerged as a new way to manipulate particles in many disciplines. In optics, several schemes of Abelian synthetic gauge fields have been proposed. Here, we introduce a new platform for realizing synthetic SU(2) non-Abelian gauge fields acting on two-dimensional optical waves in a wide class of anisotropic materials and discover novel phenomena. We show that a virtual non-Abelian Lorentz force arising from material anisotropy can induce light beams to travel along Zitterbewegung trajectories even in homogeneous media. We further design an optical non-Abelian Aharonov-Bohm system which results in the exotic spin density interference effect. We can extract the Wilson loop of an arbitrary closed optical path from a series of gauge fixed points in the interference fringes. Our scheme offers a new route to study SU(2) gauge field related physics using optics.

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Yuntian Chen, Ruo-Yang Zhang, Zhongfei Xiong, Zhi Hong Hang, Jensen Li, Jian Qi Shen, C. T. Chan. 2018-02-27. Non-Abelian gauge field optics. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10974-8

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