Gauge Symmetry as the Origin of Spin-Orbit Coupling of Light
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866908891757936640 |
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| author | Yang, Lili Feng, Longlong Zhang, Pengming |
| author_facet | Yang, Lili Feng, Longlong Zhang, Pengming |
| contents | Dual symmetry is an intrinsic property of Maxwell's equations, corresponding to a global U(1) symmetry in vacuum, with helicity as the associated conserved quantity. In this paper, we investigate light propagation in a spin-degenerate medium using a field-theoretical approach and introduce an effective gauge field A_s that emerges from the localization of dual symmetry. Within the geometric optics approximation, we show that the helical trajectory of light rays reveals this gauge field as a manifestation of spin-orbit coupling. Although orbital-orbit coupling also arises in such systems, the spin-orbit interaction possesses deeper physical significance, as it originates from the intrinsic dual symmetry embedded in Maxwell's equations. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_19501 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Gauge Symmetry as the Origin of Spin-Orbit Coupling of Light Yang, Lili Feng, Longlong Zhang, Pengming Optics Dual symmetry is an intrinsic property of Maxwell's equations, corresponding to a global U(1) symmetry in vacuum, with helicity as the associated conserved quantity. In this paper, we investigate light propagation in a spin-degenerate medium using a field-theoretical approach and introduce an effective gauge field A_s that emerges from the localization of dual symmetry. Within the geometric optics approximation, we show that the helical trajectory of light rays reveals this gauge field as a manifestation of spin-orbit coupling. Although orbital-orbit coupling also arises in such systems, the spin-orbit interaction possesses deeper physical significance, as it originates from the intrinsic dual symmetry embedded in Maxwell's equations. |
| title | Gauge Symmetry as the Origin of Spin-Orbit Coupling of Light |
| topic | Optics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.19501 |