Frequency-Domain Berry Curvature Effect on Time Refraction
Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 066301 – Published 9 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8jpn-6x4s
Abstract
We demonstrate that there exists frequency-domain Berry curvature in the wave function of photons in dispersive optical systems. This property arises from the frequency dispersion of its dielectric function, which makes Maxwell equations a nonstandard eigenvalue equation, with the eigenvalue (frequency) appearing inside the operator itself. We study this new Berry curvature effect on time refraction of magnetoplasmon-polariton as an example. It can induce deflection in the trajectory of a photon and make the ray swing.
