A new matrix representation of the Maxwell equations based on the Riemann–Silberstein–Weber vector for a linear inhomogeneous medium

Abstract

We derive a new eight dimensional matrix representation of the Maxwell equations for a linear homogeneous medium and extend it to the case of a linear inhomogneous medium. This derivation starts ab initio with the Maxwell equations and uses arguments based on the algebra of the Pauli matrices. This process leads automatically to the matrix representation based on the Riemann–Silberstein–Weber (RSW) vector. The new representation for the homogeneous medium is a direct sum of four Pauli matrix blocks. This aspect of the new representation should make it suitable for studying the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a linear inhomogeneous medium adopting the techniques of quantum mechanics treating the inhomogeneity as a perturbation. The new representation is used to rederive the Mukunda–Simon–Sudarshan matrix substitution rule for transition from the Helmholtz scalar wave optics to the Maxwell vector wave optics.