The violation of parity and reversality in molecular ensembles: I. Field induced circular and axial birefringence

Abstract

The violation of parity and reversality are fundamental phenomena which are investigated using magnetic, electric and electromagnetic field circular and axial birefringence in chiral and achiral molecular ensembles. Symmetry considerations determine whether parity ( P) or reversality ( T) must be violated in order to observe the circular or axial birefringence spectroscopically. Several types of field induced birefringence are considered, using static and time varying magnetic and electric fields, and intense electromagnetic fields. In each case, the symmetry of the complete experiment is considered, and if P and T are conserved, expressions are derived for the circular and axial refractive and absorption indices in terms of appropriate molecular property tensors. The order of magnitude of each new birefringence effect is estimated, and spectroscopic configurations suggested for their experimental observation.