Abstract
From Maxwell’ s equations for electromagnetic fields, time-averaged energy flow density vector of stable monochromatic linearly polarized light in an isotropic insulative nonmagnetic medium is deduced. By the introduction of time-averaged energy flow density rays and the definition of new generalized refractive indexn G1, Fermat’s principle of geometric optics is further generalized and its application conditions are discussed. The generalized Fermat' s principle can be used to describe stable transmission of light in a medium with variable refractive index. The necessary and sufficient conditions of a nondivergent and nonfocusing light beam are derived from this Fermat’s principle.
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