Atomic-scale electromagnetic theory bridging optics in microscopic world and macroscopic world

Abstract

Atoms in the microscopic world are the basic building blocks of the macroscopic world. In this work, we construct an atomic-scale electromagnetic theory that bridges optics in the microscopic and macroscopic worlds. As the building block of the theory, we use the microscopic polarizability to describe the optical response of a single atom, solve the transport of electromagnetic wave through a single atomic layer under arbitrary incident angle and polarization of the light beam, construct the single atomic layer transfer matrix for light transport across the atomic layer. Based on this transfer matrix, we get the analytical form of the dispersion relation, refractive index, and transmission/reflection coefficient of the macroscopic medium. The developed theory can handle single-layer and few-layers of homogeneous and heterogeneous 2D materials, investigate homogeneous 2D materials with various vacancies or insertion atomic-layer defects, study compound 2D materials with a unit cell composed of several elements in both the lateral and parallel directions with respect to the light transport.