Optical activity of noncentrosymmetric metals

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical activity in noncentrosymmetric metals, analyzing their conductivity tensor and Kerr rotation effects, with implications for understanding their electromagnetic response in normal and superconducting states.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical description of optical activity in noncentrosymmetric metals, including the conductivity tensor and Kerr effect calculations, correcting previous sign errors.

Findings

Conductivity tensor includes linear wave vector off-diagonal part responsible for optical activity.

Kerr rotation of reflected light is quantitatively calculated.

Correction of previous sign error in Kerr effect analysis.

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. In the additional file "Erratum" I've pointed out the sign error in arXiv:1001.2113 ( PRB v.81, 094525 (2010)) that leads to the wrong statement about the Kerr effect in light reflection from the surface of media without space parity.