Broken Time Reversal of Light Interaction with Planar Chiral Nanostructures

TL;DR

This paper provides experimental evidence of broken time reversal symmetry in light interaction with planar chiral nanostructures, revealing unusual polarization effects linked to non-local electromagnetic responses.

Contribution

It demonstrates unambiguous experimental proof of broken time reversal symmetry in non-magnetic nanostructures through polarized imaging.

Findings

Mirror-image structures lose symmetry in polarized light.

Symmetry described by anti-symmetry, indicating time-odd processes.

Resembles light scattering on anyon matter.

Abstract

We report unambiguous experimental evidence of broken time reversal symmetry for the interaction of light with an artificial non-magnetic material. Polarized colour images of planar chiral gold-on-silicon nanostructures consisting of arrays of gammadions show intriguing and unusual symmetry: structures, which are geometrically mirror images, loose their mirror symmetry in polarized light. The symmetry of images can only be described in terms of anti-symmetry (black-and-white symmetry) appropriate to a time-odd process. The effect results from a transverse chiral non-local electromagnetic response of the structure and has some striking resemblance with the expected features of light scattering on anyon matter.