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Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Spectral and Angle-Resolved Magneto-Optical Characterization of Photonic Nanostructures
Published on: November 21, 2019
Rotation of Electromagnetic Fields and the Nature of Optical Angular Momentum
1Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK ; Department of Physics, FNSPE, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, 115 19 Praha 1, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
The association of spin and orbital angular momenta of light with its polarization and helical phase fronts is now well established. The problems in linking this with electromagnetic theory, as expressed in Maxwell's equations, are rather less well known. We present a simple analysis of the problems involved in defining spin and orbital angular momenta for electromagnetic fields and discuss some of the remaining challenges. Crucial to our investigation is the duplex symmetry between the electric and magnetic fields.
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