Sliderule-like property of Wigner's little groups and cyclic S-matrices for multilayer optics

TL;DR

This paper reveals a mathematical analogy between multilayer optical systems and relativistic symmetry groups, showing that multilayer S-matrices can be cyclically represented and used as analogue computers for space-time symmetry contractions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that multilayer optical S-matrices can be expressed as cyclic products using Wigner's little group properties, linking optics with relativistic group theory.

Findings

N-layer S-matrix can be written as N times the single-layer S-matrix parameter

Multilayer optics can serve as an analogue computer for Wigner's little group contractions

Cyclic representation simplifies multilayer optical calculations

Abstract

It is noted that two-by-two S-matrices in multilayer optics can be represented by the Sp(2) group whose algebraic property is the same as the group of Lorentz transformations applicable to two space-like and one time-like dimensions. It is noted also that Wigner's little groups have a sliderule-like property which allows us to perform multiplications by additions. It is shown that these two mathematical properties lead to a cyclic representation of the S-matrix for multilayer optics, as in the case of ABCD matrices for laser cavities. It is therefore possible to write the N-layer S-matrix as a multiplication of the N single-layer S-matrices resulting in the same mathematical expression with one of the parameters multiplied by N. In addition, it is noted, as in the case of lens optics, multilayer optics can serve as an analogue computer for the contraction of Wigner's little groups for internal space-time symmetries of relativistic particles.