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Physics-Uspekhi

Polarized light in an anisotropic medium versus spin in a magnetic field

Valerii S Zapasskii, G. G. Kozlov

Published Aug 31, 1999• 20 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The analogy between polarization optics effects and the dynamics of a spin in a magnetic field is analyzed based on the fact that the Bloch equation for a spin in a magnetic field is formally identical to the evolution equation for the quasi-spin vector of a light propagating in an optically anisotropic medium. Among the effects discussed within this framework are light polarization beats in a birefringent medium; optical activity suppression in the media with linear birefringence; suppression of linear birefringence in the media with spatially modulated gyration; 'adiabatic' transformation of light polarization in media of smoothly varying anisotropy, and two- and three-pulse polarization echoes.

DOI
10.1070/pu1999v042n08abeh000454

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The analogy between polarization optics effects and the dynamics of a spin in a magnetic field is analyzed based on the fact that the Bloch equation for a spin in a magnetic field is formally identical to the evolution equation for the quasi-spin vector of a light propagating in an optically anisotropic medium. Among the effects discussed within this framework are light polarization beats in a birefringent medium; optical activity suppression in the media with linear birefringence; suppression of linear birefringence in the media with spatially modulated gyration; 'adiabatic' transformation of light polarization in media of smoothly varying anisotropy, and two- and three-pulse polarization echoes.
The problem of the propagation of linearly polarized light in an optically anisotropic medium with spatially modulated gyrotropy is considered. The analysis has been carried out using optical Bloch equations in the approximation of a rotating wave. For clarity, the results are interpreted on the Poincaré sphere. It is demonstrated that under the resonance conditions, i.e., when the spatial frequency of modulation of gyrotropy coincides with the spatial frequency of polarization beats, a resonant increase in the amplitude of these beats is observed.
The equations of propagation for the polarisation components of an electromagnetic wave in non-linear birefringent media are often termed “non-linear Schrödinger equations”. In this letter, we pursue the analogy between the quantum dynamics of a 2-states oscillator and the time evolution of the wave polarisation. More specifically, we define exactly the optical analogue of the conditions for nuclear magnetic resonance, leading in the optical medium to resonant oscillations of the polarisation state when birefringence is periodically modulated along the wave propagation direction in addition to a static longitudinal magnetic field. Circular polarisation then exhibits Rabi oscillations. The non-linear influence of light intensity on the shape of the resonant polarisation line is discussed precisely.
Starting with a Schrödinger-type equation derived from the Maxwell theory of electromagnetism, a general formalism is presented for the change of light polarization in nonlinear birefringent media, which we call “optical gyration” or more generally, “electromagnetic gyration” and applications are considered. The theory is formulated in terms of the Hamiltonian dynamics of the Stokes parameters which turns out to be the equation for a classical spin. As applications, we consider two models: (a) As the first application, we analyze solvable models admitting analytic solutions, which exhibit the structure change in the behavior of the Stokes parameter caused by the mutual interplay between linear and nonlinear birefringence. (b) The second application is the optical analogue of the so-called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or Rabi resonance. This is investigated in the case of purely linear birefringence and coexisting of linear and nonlinear birefringence.
It is known that linear birefringence of the medium essentially hinders measuring the Faraday effect. For this reason, optically anisotropic materials have never been considered as objects of the Faraday-rotation-based spin noise spectroscopy. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that strong optical anisotropy that may badly suppress the regular Faraday rotation of the medium, practically does not affect the measurement of the spatially uncorrelated spin fluctuations. We also show that the birefringent media provide additional opportunity to measure spatial spin correlations. Results of the experimental measurements of the spin-noise spectra performed on Nd^{3+} ions in the uniaxial crystal matrices well agree with the theory.
The nonlinear magneto-optical rotation in a medium consisting of $J=1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}J=0$ atoms placed in a static magnetic field is studied. The density matrix approach and irreducible atomic basis are used to describe the state of the atomic system. The stationary propagation equations for two collinear laser beams with perpendicular circular polarizations are derived and analyzed in the case of the magnetic field perpendicular to the light propagation direction. The effect of the linear polarization rotation toward the direction parallel or perpendicular to the magnetic field vector and lossless propagation of the resulting light are predicted. The conversion of the circularly polarized beam into linearly polarized one is shown. The propagation of the leading edges of switched on cw-laser beams and their stationary propagation are analyzed numerically. The dependence of the considered effects on the light detuning and on the additional magnetic field component parallel to the light propagation direction is discussed. The destructive role of the collisional relaxation is demonstrated.