Bremen 2017 – scientific programme
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MP: Fachverband Theoretische und Mathematische Grundlagen der Physik
MP 12: Field Theory and Cosmology
MP 12.5: Talk
Thursday, March 16, 2017, 15:30–15:50, SFG 2010
Light propagation in local and linear media: Fresnel-Kummer wave surfaces with 16 singular points — Alberto Favaro1 and •Friedrich W. Hehl2 — 1Dept. Physics, Imperial College, London and ASI Data Science, London — 2Universität zu Köln and University of Missouri, Columbia
The Fresnel wave surfaces of transparent biaxial media have 4 singular points. In more general media, the number of singularities can exceed 4. In fact, a highly symmetric linear material is proposed whose Fresnel surface exhibits 16 singular points. For every linear material, the dispersion equation is quartic. Thus, 16 is the maximum number of isolated singularities. The identity of Fresnel and Kummer surfaces, which holds true for media with a certain symmetry (zero skewon piece), provides an elegant interpretation of the results. We describe a metamaterial for our linear medium with 16 singular points. It is found that an appropriate combination of metal bars, split-ring resonators, and magnetized particles can generate the correct permittivity, permeability, and magnetoelectric moduli. [1] H. Knörrer, Die Fresnelsche Wellenfläche, in: Math. Miniaturen, Vol. 3, p. 115 (Birkhäuser, Basel, 1986). [2] A. Favaro, F. W. Hehl, Phys. Rev. A 93, 013844 (2016).