Geometrical Spinoptics and the Optical Hall Effect

Christian Duval (1, 2) , Zalan Horvath (3) , Peter Horvathy (4)

1 CPT - Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR 6207
2 CPT - Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR 7332
3 Departement for Theoretical Physics
4 LMPT - Laboratoire de Mathématiques et Physique Théorique

Geometrical optics is extended so as to provide a model for spinning light rays via the coadjoint orbits of the Euclidean group characterized by color and spin. This leads to a theory of ``geometrical spinoptics'' in refractive media. Symplectic scattering yields generalized Snell-Descartes laws that include the recently discovered optical Hall effect.

Mots clés: Geometrical optics; spin; coadjoint orbits; symplectic scattering; optical Hall effect

Domaines: Physique mathématique [math-ph]; Optique [physics.optics]; Géométrie symplectique [math.SG]; Physique des Hautes Energies - Théorie [hep-th]

Christian Duval, Zalan Horvath, Peter Horvathy. Geometrical Spinoptics and the Optical Hall Effect. 2005. ⟨hal-00008769v2⟩