Voigt-wave propagation in active materials

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that active materials derived from dissipative anisotropic dielectrics can support Voigt-wave propagation with gain, by using the hermitian conjugate of the permittivity matrix, enabling potential amplification in optical systems.

Contribution

It establishes a theoretical link between dissipative and active materials supporting Voigt waves through the hermitian conjugate permittivity matrix.

Findings

Active materials can support Voigt-wave propagation with gain.

Dissipative materials' Voigt-wave support implies active counterparts do as well.

Potential for amplification in optical applications using active dye infiltration.

Abstract

If a dissipative anisotropic dielectric material, characterized by the permittivity matrix $\underline{\underline{\epsilon}}$, supports Voigt-wave propagation, then so too does the analogous active material characterized by the permittivity matrix $\underline{\underline{{\tilde{\epsilon}}}}$, where $\underline{\underline{{\tilde{\epsilon}}}}$ is the hermitian conjugate of $\underline{\underline{\epsilon}}$. Consequently, a dissipative material that supports Voigt-wave propagation can give rise to a material that supports the propagation of Voigt waves with attendant linear gain in amplitude with propagation distance, by infiltration with an active dye.