Unraveling the Effect of Circularly Polarized Light on Reciprocal Media: Breaking Time Reversal Symmetry with Non-Maxwellian Magnetic-esque Fields

Abstract

Optical rectification of intense, circularly polarized light penetrating a material generates a static magnetic field aligned with the light's direction and proportional to its intensity. Recent experiments have unveiled a substantial, orders-of-magnitude gap between the observed magnetization and theoretical predictions. In this study, we demonstrate that circularly polarized light creates large non-Maxwellian fields that disrupt time-reversal symmetry, effectively mimicking authentic magnetic fields within the material while eluding detection externally. These unconventional fields give rise to Faraday-rotation-like phenomena, which are a high-frequency manifestation of Berry's curvature.