arXiv subjects

Peer Fischer

Publications and source records attributed to Peer Fischer.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Observation of the Faraday effect via beam deflection in a longitudinal magnetic field

We report the observation of the magnetic field induced circular differential deflection of light at the interface of a Faraday medium. The difference in the angles of refraction or reflection between the two circular polarization components is a function of the magnetic field strength and the Verdet constant. The reported phenomena permit the observation of the Faraday effect not via polarization rotation in transmission, but via changes in the propagation direction in refraction or in reflection. An unpolarized light beam is predicted to split into its two circular polarization components. The light deflection arises within a few wavelengths at the interface and is therefore independent of pathlength.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2006

Chiral molecules split light: Reflection and refraction in a chiral liquid

A light beam changes direction as it enters a liquid at an angle from another medium, such as air. Should the liquid contain molecules that lack mirror symmetry, then it has been predicted by Fresnel that the light beam will not only change direction, but will actually split into two separate beams with a small difference in the respective angles of refraction. Here we report the observation of this phenomenon. We also demonstrate that the angle of reflection does not equal the angle of incidence in a chiral medium. Unlike conventional optical rotation, which depends on the path-length through the sample, the reported reflection and refraction phenomena arise within a few wavelengths at the interface and thereby suggest a new approach to polarimetry that can be used in microfluidic volumes.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2004

A right-handed isotropic medium with a negative refractive index

The sign of the refractive index of any medium is soley determined by the requirement that the propagation of an electromagnetic wave obeys Einstein causality. Our analysis shows that this requirement predicts that the real part of the refractive index may be negative in an isotropic medium even if the electric permittivity and the magnetic permeability are both positive. Such a system may be a route to negative index media at optical frequencies. We also demonstrate that the refractive index may be positive in left-handed media that contain two molecular species where one is in its excited state.

physics.optics↗