Trirefringence in nonlinear magnetoeletric metamaterials revisited

Abstract

Trirefringence is related to the existence of three distinct phase velocity solutions (and polarizations) for light propagation in a same wave-vector direction. This implies that when a trirefringent medium refracts a light ray, it is split into three rays with different velocities and linearly independent polarizations. Here a previous investigation [1] is revisited and its results are generalized to include a broader class of magnetoelectric materials. Moreover, it is argued that trirefringent media could already be achieved using present day technologies. Examples are given to support that focused on built layered media under the influence of applied electromagnetic fields.