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Nonreciprocal Refraction of Light in a Magnetoelectric Material

S. Toyoda, N. Abe, and T. Arima
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 077401 – Published 12 August 2019

Abstract

In magnetoelectric materials, where the time-reversal and space-inversion symmetries are simultaneously broken, optical properties can differ between the opposite propagation directions of light. We report on an experimental observation of nonreciprocal trajectory of a light ray in magnetoelectric material CuB2O4. The light is refracted in different ways between the opposite propagation directions of light. We find a nonreciprocal refraction at the interface between a matter with macroscopic toroidal moment and vacuum. The resultant nonreciprocal deflection of the light is 0.005 deg, which is quantitatively explained using Fermat’s principle.

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  • Received 31 March 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.077401

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Physical Systems
Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

S. Toyoda*, N. Abe, and T. Arima

  • Department of Advanced Materials Science, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8561, Japan

  • *Present address: Center for Emergent Matter Science, RIKEN Hirosawa 2-1, Wako-shi 351-0198, Japan. shingo.toyoda@riken.jp

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Issue

Vol. 123, Iss. 7 — 16 August 2019

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