1306.2189 (Sergey Prosandeev et al.)

Natural optical activity and its control by electric field in
electrotoroidic systems    [PDF]

Sergey Prosandeev, Andrei Malashevich, Zhigang Gui, Lydie Louis, Raymond Walter, Ivo Souza, L. Bellaiche

We propose the existence, via analytical derivations, novel phenomenologies, and first-principles-based simulations, of a new class of materials that are not only spontaneously optically active, but also for which the sense of rotation can be switched by an electric field applied to them-- via an induced transition between the dextrorotatory and laevorotatory forms. Such systems possess electric vortices that are coupled to a spontaneous electrical polarization. Furthermore, our atomistic simulations provide a deep microscopic insight into, and understanding of, this class of naturally optically active materials.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.2189