Optical momentum in negative-index media

M.G. Scullion; S.M. Barnett

doi:10.1080/09500340802082434

Optical momentum in negative-index media

M.G. Scullion, S.M. Barnett

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The correct form of the energy-momentum tensor in a dielectric has been the subject of a controversy spanning the last hundred years. Three principal forms for the momentum, in particular, have been identified for dispersive media. These are the Abraham, Minkowski and canonical momenta. We investigate whether any of these forms can be distinguished by considering pulses of light incident on materials with a negative refractive index and find that, for such materials, the canonical momentum has a qualitatively different behaviour to the other two.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2301-2309
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Modern Optics
Volume	55
Issue number	14
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09500340802082434
Publication status	Published - 2008

Keywords

optical momentum
negative refractive index

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10.1080/09500340802082434

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abstract = "The correct form of the energy-momentum tensor in a dielectric has been the subject of a controversy spanning the last hundred years. Three principal forms for the momentum, in particular, have been identified for dispersive media. These are the Abraham, Minkowski and canonical momenta. We investigate whether any of these forms can be distinguished by considering pulses of light incident on materials with a negative refractive index and find that, for such materials, the canonical momentum has a qualitatively different behaviour to the other two.",

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AB - The correct form of the energy-momentum tensor in a dielectric has been the subject of a controversy spanning the last hundred years. Three principal forms for the momentum, in particular, have been identified for dispersive media. These are the Abraham, Minkowski and canonical momenta. We investigate whether any of these forms can be distinguished by considering pulses of light incident on materials with a negative refractive index and find that, for such materials, the canonical momentum has a qualitatively different behaviour to the other two.

KW - optical momentum

KW - negative refractive index

UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09500340802082434

U2 - 10.1080/09500340802082434

DO - 10.1080/09500340802082434

M3 - Article

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VL - 55

SP - 2301

EP - 2309

JO - Journal of Modern Optics

JF - Journal of Modern Optics

IS - 14

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Optical momentum in negative-index media

Abstract

Keywords

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