Voigt-wave propagation in active materials

Abstract

If a dissipative anisotropic dielectric material, characterized by the permittivity matrix $\underline{\underline{\epsilon}}$, supports Voigt-wave propagation, then so too does the analogous active material characterized by the permittivity matrix $\underline{\underline{{\tilde{\epsilon}}}}$, where $\underline{\underline{{\tilde{\epsilon}}}}$ is the hermitian conjugate of $\underline{\underline{\epsilon}}$. Consequently, a dissipative material that supports Voigt-wave propagation can give rise to a material that supports the propagation of Voigt waves with attendant linear gain in amplitude with propagation distance, by infiltration with an active dye.