Polarization transformation of a wave field propagating in an anisotropic medium

Author

Yeh, K.C. ; Chao, H.Y. ; Lin, K.H.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL, USA

Volume

41

Issue

5

fYear

1999

fDate

10/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

19

Lastpage

33

Abstract

The momentous experimental discovery of the Faraday (1846) effect is sketched from a historical perspective, through the eyes of several well-known scientists. This effect and its generalization can be explained theoretically by using the dispersion theory for waves propagating in an anisotropic medium. A wave of arbitrary initial polarization will have its wave polarization transformed continuously as it propagates. It is convenient to represent this continuous polarization transformation by a locus in the polarization-ratio plane. In a lossless medium, when both characteristic waves are propagating, this locus is a circle. Five cases in a magneto-ionic medium have been investigated for different propagation angles. The results are discussed and illustrated

Keywords

Faraday effect; anisotropic media; electromagnetic fields; light polarisation; light propagation; EM wave propagation; Faraday effect; anisotropic medium; characteristic waves; circle; continuous polarization transformation; dispersion theory; experimental discovery; light propagation; lossless medium; magnetism; magneto-ionic medium; polarization-ratio plane locus; propagation angles; wave field propagation; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Electromagnetic wave polarization; Faraday effect; Glass; Magnetic anisotropy; Optical polarization; Optical propagation; Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy; Plasma properties; Plasma waves;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Propagation Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1045-9243

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/74.801511

Filename

801511