Abstract

We calculated the group velocity of light in internal conical refraction in a biaxial crystal as a function of the direction of the electric displacement vector, or the vibration direction, of its carrier wave. Our method represents group velocity through the electromagnetic fields of light, rather than its wave normal or ray direction. The travel time of a light pulse traversing a parallel plate biaxial crystal in internal conical refraction is found to vary as a sinusoidal function of twice the vibration angle of the light wave. Our method distinguishes the four directions of the two optic axes in monoclinic and triclinic crystals. Numerical examples are given for ${{\rm KNbO}_3}$ at the wavelength of 400 nm, and for ${{\rm Sn}_2}{{\rm P}_2}{{\rm S}_6}$ at the wavelength of 550 nm.

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Group velocity of light in biaxial crystals

Pengqian Wang
Appl. Opt. 60(14) 4143-4153 (2021)

Polarization-dependent group velocity of light pulses traveling in the optic ray axis directions of a biaxial crystal

Pengqian Wang
Opt. Lett. 47(9) 2338-2341 (2022)

Group velocity of light in uniaxial crystals

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Appl. Opt. 60(7) 1987-1994 (2021)

Internal Conical Refraction*

D. L. Portigal and E. Burstein
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 59(12) 1567-1573 (1969)

Asymmetry of the group velocity of light in monoclinic crystals

Pengqian Wang
Opt. Lett. 46(6) 1425-1428 (2021)