Lecture 8: Light propagation in

anisotropic media
Petr Kužel
• Tensors — classification of anisotropic media
• Wave equation
• Eigenmodes — polarization eigenstates
• Normal surface (surface of refractive indices)
• Indicatrix (ellipsoid of refractive indices)
 Anisotropic response
Isotropic medium, linear response:
P = ε0χ E
D = ε E = ε 0 (1 + χ ) E

Anisotropic medium: the polarization direction does not coincide with

the field direction:

(
Px = ε 0 χ11E x + χ12 E y + χ13 E z , )
Py = ε 0 (χ 21E x + χ 22 E y + χ 23 E z ), ! Tensors
Pz = ε 0 (χ 31E x + χ 32 E y + χ 33 E z ).

Pi = ε 0 χ ij E j k⊥D 
 k is not parallel to S
( )
Di = ε ij E j = ε 0 1 + χij E j S ⊥E 
 Tensors
Transformation of a basis:
f j = Aij ei

Corresponding transformation of a tensor:

xk = Aki xi′ xi′ = Aik−1 xk 1st rank (vector)

tkl′ = Aik−1 A−jl1tij tij = Aki Alj t kl′ 2nd rank

pi1 ,i2!in = Ak1i1 Ak2i2 ! Aknin pk′1 ,k2!kn nth rank

 Tensors: symmetry considerations
Intrinsic symmetry: reflects the character of the physical phenomenon
represented by the tensor (usually related to the energetic considerations)

ε ik = ε∗ki
Extrinsic symmetry: reflects the symmetry of the medium
pi1 ,i2!in = Ak1i1 Ak2i2 ! Aknin pk1 ,k2!kn ε ij = Aki Alj ε kl

Example: two-fold axis along z:

 −1 0 0 ε13 = A11 A33 ε13 = – ε13 ⇒ ε13 = ε31 = 0

 
A =  0 −1 0 
ε23 = A22 A33 ε23 = – ε23 ⇒ ε23 = ε32 = 0
 0 0 1
 
Tensors: symmetry considerations
Second example: higher order axis along z:

 cos α sin α 0  ε11 = c 2ε11 + s 2 ε 22 − 2 scε12

 
A =  − sin α cos α 0  ε 22 = s 2 ε11 + c 2ε 22 + 2scε12
 0
 0 1  (
ε12 = scε11 − scε 22 + c 2 − s 2 ε12)
The above system of equations leads to:

(ε11 − ε 22 )s 2 = −2scε12
(ε11 − ε 22 )sc = 2s 2ε12
Solution for a higher (than 2) order axis: sinα ≠ 0

ε11 = ε22, ε12 = 0

 εij Optical symmetry
Crystallographic
system
Dielectric tensor
crystallographic system
optical system of axes
of axes

n2 0 0
Axes systems: n 0 0
2

 
æ ö

2
ç ÷

isotropic cubic e = e ç 0 n2
0 ÷ ε = ε 0 0 n 0
 2 
0

ç ÷

• crystallographic 0 0 n 0 0 n
2

 
ç ÷

è ø

hexagonal  no2 0 0  n o2 0 0
• optical (dielectric)    
uniaxial tetragonal ε = ε 0 0 no2 0  ε = ε 0 0 n o2 0 
   
trigonal
0 0 ne2  0 0 ne2 
• laboratory
 n x2 0 0  n x2 0 0
   
orthorhombic ε = ε 0 0 n 2y 0  ε = ε 0 0 n 2y 0 
   
0 0 n z2  0 0 n z2 

 n x2 0 0  ε11 ε12 0 
   
2
ε = ε 0 0 n y 0  ε =  ε12 ε 22 0 
biaxial monoclinic
 
0 0 n z2   0
 0 ε 33

 n x2 0 0  ε11 ε 12 ε 13
   
triclinic 2
ε = ε 0 0 n y 0  ε =  ε12 ε 22 ε 23
 2  ε 
 0 0 n z   13 ε 23 ε 33
 Wave equation
Maxwell equations for harmonic plane waves:
k ∧ E = ωµ0 H
k ∧ H = −ω ε ⋅ E

in the system of principal optical axes

 nx2 0 0
 
ε = ε0  0 n 2y 0
 
0 0 nz2 

Wave equation:
k ∧ (k ∧ E ) + ω2µ 0 ε ⋅ E = k (k ⋅ E ) − k 2 E + ω2µ 0 ε ⋅ E = 0

or
ω2
s(s ⋅ E ) − E + 2 2 ε r ⋅ E = 0
k c
 Wave equation: continued
We define effective refractive index:
kc
n=
ω
Wave equation in the matrix form:


(
 nx2 − n 2 s y2 + s z2 ) n2 sx s y n 2 sx sz   Ex 
 
 n2 sx s y (
n 2y − n 2 s x2 + s z2 ) 2
n s y sz   Ey  = 0

 n 2
sx sz n2 s y sz ( ) 
nz2 − n 2 s x2 + s 2y   E z 

Solutions of this homogeneous system: det = 0.

• Effective refractive index n for a given propagation direction
• Frequency ω for a given wave vector k
• Surface of accepted wave vector moduli for a given ω (normal surface
or surface of refractive indices)
 Wave equation: continued
After having developed the determinant one obtains:

 ω2 nx2 
2 
 ω 2 2
n 
2  ω 2 2
n  
2 ω 2 2
ny  2 2
2   ω nz 2
 2 −k  y
− k  z
− k 2
 + k − k  − k +
 c   c2   c2  x  c2   c2 
      

2  ω nx
2 2
2  ω
2 2
nz 2 2  ω nx
2 2  2 n 2y
2  ω

2
k y  2 − k   −k  + kz  2
  − k  −k = 0.
2  c2 
 c  c   c  

or in terms of the effective refractive index:

(n 2
x )( )(
− n 2 n 2y − n 2 nz2 − n 2 + )
[ ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )]
n 2 s x2 n 2y − n 2 nz2 − n 2 + s 2y nx2 − n 2 nz2 − n 2 + s z2 nx2 − n 2 n 2y − n 2 = 0 .

This is a quadratic equation in n2, thus it provides two eigenmodes for a

given direction of propagation s.
 Wave equation: continued
In the case when n ≠ ni, the wave equation can be further simplified:

s x2 s 2y s z2 1
+ + =
n 2 − nx2 n 2 − n 2y n 2 − nz2 n 2

Polarization of the electric field for the eigenmodes:


(
 nx2 − n 2 s y2 + s z2 ) n2 sx s y n 2 sx sz   Ex 
 
 n2 sx s y (
n 2y − n 2 s x2 + s z2 ) 2
n s y sz   Ey  = 0

 n 2
sx sz n2 s y sz ( ) 
nz2 − n 2 s x2 + s 2y   E z   sx 
 2 
 N − nx 
2

 sy 
For n ≠ ni: E = 2 2 
 N − n y 
 sz 
 2 2 
 N − n z 
 Isotropic case
nx = ny = nz ≡ n0
wave equation:
(n2
0 )
2
− n2 n2 = 0

Normal surface: degenerated sphere

Eigen-polarization: arbitrary

(Isotropic materials, cubic crystals)

 Uniaxial case
nx = ny ≡ no and nz ≡ ne ≠ no
wave equation:
 1 s x2 + s 2y s 2 
(n2
o − n2 )  −
n 2
ne2
− z2  = 0
no 

Normal surface: sphere + ellipsoid with one common point in the z-direction

Sections of the normal surface:

sy positive uniaxial crystal sz
no

no ne ne
sx sx
Uniaxial case: continued

sz
no S
E D s or k
H

sx
ne
 Uniaxial case: continued
Propagation
ordinary ray extraordinary ray
(z ≡ optical axis)
degenerated case (equivalent to isotropic medium);
k // z index n , E ⊥ k
o
index n ,
k⊥z E // z
e
index n ,
o
E in the (xy) plane, index n(θ),
k: angle θ with z E⊥k E in the (kz) plane,
E⋅k≠0

sin 2 θ cos 2 θ 1
with + =
ne2 no2 n 2 (θ )
 Biaxial case
nx < ny < nz
Normal surface has a complicated form
 Biaxial case: continued
Sections of the normal surface by the planes xy, xz, and yz: sy
nz
sx = 0: nx
 1 s z2 + s y2   1 s z2 s 2y 
 −   − − =0
 n2 n x 
2  n 2 n 2y n z2  ny sx
   sz
ny
sy = 0:
nz
 1 s x2 + s z2   1 s x2 s z2 
 −   2 − 2 − 2=0
n 2
n y 
2 n nz n x  sx
 
sz n
y
sz = 0:
nx nz
 1 s x2 + s 2y   1 s x2 s 2y 
 −   − − =0
n 2
nz 
2  n 2 n 2y nx2  sy
  
 Group velocity in anisotropic
media
Maxwell equations in the Fourier space:

k ∧ E = ω µ0 H /⋅ H
k ∧ H = −ω ε ⋅ E /⋅ E

One can finally obtain:

2k ⋅ (E ∧ H ) S
ω= =k⋅
E⋅D+ H ⋅B U

This means:
S
v g = ∇k ω = = ve
U
 Birefringence
Isotropic medium: incident plane wave, reflected plane wave
Anisotropic medium: refracted wave is decomposed into the eigenmodes
• Tangential components should be conserved on the interface:
ki sin α i = k1 sin α1 = k 2 sin α 2
• k1 and k2 are not constant but depend on the propagation direction
• Thus we get generalized Snell’s law for an ordinary and an extra-
ordinary beam:
ni sin α i = no sin α1 = n(α 2 )sin α 2
• Analytic solution only for special cases
• Numerical solution
• Graphic solution
Birefringence: graphic solution
Birefringence: uniaxial crystals
positive (ne > no) negative (ne < no)

O E
optical axis optical axis
E O

optical axis O optical axis E

E O

optical axis O optical axis E

E O
 Indicatrix: ellipsoid of indices
z
s x2 y2 z 2
+ + =1
nx2 n 2y nz2

DII, NII

DI, NI