Broken time-reversal and electromagnetic anyon quasi-particles in 2D chiral plasmon structures

Zheludev, N.I., Schwanecke, A. and Wright, E.M. (2004) Broken time-reversal and electromagnetic anyon quasi-particles in 2D chiral plasmon structures. Progress in Electromagnetic Research Symposium (PIERS) 2004, Pisa, Italy. 28 - 30 Mar 2004.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

We report first unambiguous experimental evidence of broken time reversal symmetry for the interaction of light with an artificial non-magnetic material. Polarized colour images of planar chiral gold-on-silicon nanostructures consisting of arrays of gammadions show intriguing and unusual symmetry: structures, which are geometrically mirror images, loose their mirror symmetry in polarized light. The symmetry of images can only be described in terms of anti-symmetry (black-and-white symmetry) appropriate to a time-odd process.

The effect results from a transverse chiral non-local electromagnetic response of the structure and has some striking resemblance with the expected features of light scattering on anyon matter. We elucidate the physical mechanisms by which electromagnetic excitations coupled to planar chiral waveguides display the essential characteristics of anyons hypothetical particles manifesting fractional angular momentum and broken time reversal symmetry in two spatial dimensions.

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