Abstract
We describe the phenomenon of optical activity of noncentrosymmetric metals in their normal and superconducting states. The found conductivity tensor contains the linear in wave-vector off-diagonal part responsible for the natural optical activity. Its value is expressed through the ratio of light frequency to the band splitting due to the spin-orbit interaction. The Kerr rotation of polarization of light reflected from the metal surface is calculated.
- Received 13 January 2010
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.81.094525
©2010 American Physical Society
