Optical Helicity and Chirality: Conservation and Sources

Applied Sciences

StephenM. Barnett¹  JörgB. Götte¹  Frances Crimin¹  Neel Mackinnon¹ 

[1] School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;

关键词: helicity;    chirality;    orbital angular momentum;    dual symmetry;    light–matter interactions;    bi-isotropic media;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app9050828

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

We consider the helicity and chirality of the free electromagnetic field, and advocate the former as a means of characterising the interaction of chiral light with matter. This is in view of the intuitive quantum form of the helicity density operator, and of the dual symmetry transformation generated by its conservation. We go on to review the form of the helicity density and its associated continuity equation in free space, in the presence of local currents and charges, and upon interaction with bulk media, leading to characterisation of both microscopic and macroscopic sources of helicity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown