Analog gravity from electrodynamics in non-linear media

TL;DR

This paper derives an effective curved spacetime geometry for electromagnetic wave propagation in nonlinear media influenced by external electric fields, addressing birefringence and ray trajectories.

Contribution

It introduces a method to model electromagnetic wave paths in nonlinear media as geodesics in an effective curved geometry, incorporating external electric field effects.

Findings

Explicit expression for effective curved geometry guiding light

Analysis of birefringence effects in nonlinear media

Derivation of general light ray trajectories under electric fields

Abstract

Working with electrodynamics in the geometrical optics approximation we derive the expression representing an effectively curved geometry which guides the propagation of electromagnetic waves in material media whose physical properties depend on an external electric field. The issue of birefringence is addressed, and the trajectory of the extraordinary ray is explicitly worked out. Quite general curves are obtained for the path of the light ray by suitably setting an electric field.