Frequency Domain Berry Curvature Effect on Time Refraction

TL;DR

This paper reveals a frequency domain Berry curvature in photons within dispersive optical systems, affecting phenomena like time refraction and photon trajectory deflection.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of frequency domain Berry curvature in photon wave functions caused by dielectric dispersion, a novel effect in optical physics.

Findings

Berry curvature influences photon trajectories in dispersive media.

Time refraction is affected by the frequency domain Berry curvature.

Photon rays can swing due to Berry curvature-induced deflections.

Abstract

We demonstrate that there exist frequency domain Berry curvature in the wave function of photons in dispersive optical systems. This property arises from the frequency dispersion of its dielectric function, which makes Maxwell equations a non-standard eigenvalue equation, with the eigenvalue (frequency) appearing inside the operator itself. We study this new Berry curvature effect on time refraction of magnetoplasmon-polariton as an example. It can induce deflection in the trajectory of a photon and make the ray swing.