Polarization and Diffraction Peculiarities of Optical Media Possessing Simultaneously the Properties of Right and Left Substances

Abstract: With the simultaneous presence of positive and negative components both in the permittivity tensor ɛ_ij and in the tensor of magnetic permeability μ_ij, the propagation of an electromagnetic wave in optically homogeneous anisotropic media, and in periodically inhomogeneous media with a spiral structure is considered. It is shown that depending on polarization, such media exhibit the properties of both dextrorotatory and levorotatory substances. It is shown also that the medium with a spiral periodic structure may have the property of total diffraction reflection of the wave of any polarization. In the case of the presence of different signs of components of ɛ_ij and μ_ij in the spiral medium, it is revealed that two regions of diffraction reflection are formed, corresponding to the two waves with circular polarization with mutually opposite rotation of the polarization.