Non-Abelian gauge field optics

Yuntian Chen, Ruo-Yang Zhang, Zhongfei Xiong, Zhi Hong Hang, Jensen Li, Jian Qi Shen () and C. T. Chan ()
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Yuntian Chen: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Ruo-Yang Zhang: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Zhongfei Xiong: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Zhi Hong Hang: Soochow University
Jensen Li: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Jian Qi Shen: Zhejiang University
C. T. Chan: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract The concept of gauge field is a cornerstone of modern physics and the synthetic gauge field has emerged as a new way to manipulate particles in many disciplines. In optics, several schemes of Abelian synthetic gauge fields have been proposed. Here, we introduce a new platform for realizing synthetic SU(2) non-Abelian gauge fields acting on two-dimensional optical waves in a wide class of anisotropic materials and discover novel phenomena. We show that a virtual non-Abelian Lorentz force arising from material anisotropy can induce light beams to travel along Zitterbewegung trajectories even in homogeneous media. We further design an optical non-Abelian Aharonov–Bohm system which results in the exotic spin density interference effect. We can extract the Wilson loop of an arbitrary closed optical path from a series of gauge fixed points in the interference fringes. Our scheme offers a new route to study SU(2) gauge field related physics using optics.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10974-8

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