To a dispersion law of an electromagnetic wave in a medium having a double anisotropy

Abstract

Dispersion relations for a transverse electromagnetic wave in a hypothetical medium having a low crystalline symmetry and double anisotropy are formulated phenomenological based on the general concepts of Maxwell's equations. Formalism for electrical and magnetic ordering of a medium is represented by tensor coefficients of the second rank in a general coordinate system corresponding to an external problem of incidence, reflection and refraction of a transverse wave at the interface. Based on the obtained dispersion law, the Snell law of refraction for the wave vector is displayed, as well as, some special cases for a section of a wave surface and a ray surface in the plane of incidence. Following Fresnel approach as usual, two characteristic types of linear polarization of an electric induction vector of a propagating wave are considered for a wave entering a double anisotropic medium at an arbitrary angle to the interface. Based on a character of a cross-section of a wave surface and of a ray surface for the plane of incidence, the degree of influence of anisotropy on a propagating field is discussed in terms of external/internal conic refraction of ordinary/extraordinary waves in a transparent medium. Following to initially general form of the permittivity ε^ and the magnetic permeability μ^ tensors some particular cases of a more favorable choice of coordinate system are analyzed to decrease a number of non-zero components in mentioned tensors, as well as to decrease in the number of elements in vector relations.