Theory of a new linear magnetorefractive effect in liquids

Abstract

A new linear magneto-optic effect predicted earlier by the authors is considered. The effect appears in liquids composed mainly of chiral molecules. Phenomenologically the new effect manifests itself as a change in the refractive index, which is proportional to the scalar product (B . k), where k is the photon wave vector, and B, the external quasi-static magnetic field. The constant of the new effect has been calculated. The expression obtained contains matrix elements of electric and magnetic dipoles and electric quadrupoles taken between electronic wave-functions of the molecule. A simple interpretation of the mechanism for the new effect is given. The cascade mechanism for a contribution of the first order terms to the observable constants of the second order effects is treated. In particular, the corrections to magnetostriction and Cotton-Mouton constants due to the Faraday effect are determined. It is shown that the cascade mechanism does not contribute to the observable value of the new magnetorefractive effect.