Symmetric and antisymmetric constitutive tensors for bi-isotropic and bi-anisotropic media

The classical propagation of electromagnetic waves in continuous matter is described by the constitutive relations and the Maxwell equations. This work investigates the effects stemming from extended constitutive relations on the propagation of waves in bi-isotropic and bi-anisotropic media using a classical general approach, based on the evaluation of dispersion relations and refractive indices. For the bi-anisotropic media, the magnetoelectric parameters were represented by specific symmetric and antisymmetric configurations. The three cases examined have provided real and distinct refractive indices for two propagating modes, which implies birefringence. The propagating modes were also carried out in all cases. The anisotropy or birefringence effect, given by the rotatory power or phase difference, was evaluated in terms of the magnetoelectric parameters of the theory in each case. The propagation orthogonal to the vectors used to parametrize the symmetric and antisymmetric magnetoelectric tensors is described by distinct modes, which may represent a route to identify the kind of bi-anisotropic medium examined.Comment: 15 pages, 2 column