Search

Paraxial lens optics is discussed to study the continuity properties of the $ABCD$ beam transfer matrix. The two-by-two matrix for the one-lens camera-like system can be converted to an equi-diagonal form by a scale transformation, leaving the off-diagonal elements invariant. It is shown that the matrix remains continuous during the focusing process, but this transition is not analytic. However, its first derivative is still continuous, which leads to the concept of "tangential continuity." It is then shown that this tangential continuity is applicable to $ABCD$ matrices pertinent to periodic optical systems, where the equi-diagonalization is achieved by a similarity transformation using rotations. It is also noted that both the scale transformations and the rotations can be unified within the framework of Hermitian transformations., Comment: Latex 11 pages with 2 figures, to be published in the Journal of Modern Optics

While the Lorentz group serves as the basic language for Einstein's special theory of relativity, it is turning out to be the basic mathematical instrument in optical sciences, particularly in ray optics and polarization optics. The beam transfer matrix, commonly called the $ABCD$ matrix, is shown to be a two-by-two representation of the Lorentz group applicable to the three-dimensional space-time consisting of two space and one time dimensions. The Jones matrix applicable to polarization states turns out to be the two-by-two representations of the Lorentz group applicable to the four-dimensional space-time consisting of three space and one time dimensions. The four-by-four Mueller matrix applicable to the Stokes parameters as well as the Poincar\'e sphere are both shown to be the representations of the Lorentz group., Comment: Latex 47 pages, 5 figure, to be included as Chapter 10 in "Mathematical Optics: Classical, Quantum and Imaging Methods" edited by Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan (Taylor and Francis, New York)

Palatini variational principle is implemented on a five dimensional quadratic curvature gravity model, rendering two sets of equations which can be interpreted as the field equations and the stress-energy tensor. Unification of gravity with electromagnetism and the scalar dilaton field is achieved through the Kaluza-Klein dimensional reduction mechanism. The reduced curvature invariant, field equations and the stress-energy tensor in four dimensional spacetime are obtained. The structure of the interactions among the constituent fields is exhibited in detail. It is shown that the Lorentz force naturally emerges from the reduced field equations and the equations of the standard Kaluza-Klein theory is demonstrated to be intrinsically contained in this model., Comment: 10 pages

It is not always possible to diagonalize the optical $ABCD$ matrix, but it can be brought into one of the four Wigner matrices by a similarity transformation. It is shown that the four Wigner matrices can be combined into one matrix with four branches. This result is illustrated in terms of optical activities, laser cavities, and multilayer optics., Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, published in Special Issue: Festschrift in Memory of Lorenzo M. Narducci

The beam transfer matrix, often called the $ABCD$ matrix, is a two-by-two matrix with unit determinant, and with three independent parameters. It is noted that this matrix cannot always be diagonalized. It can however be brought by rotation to a matrix with equal diagonal elements. This equi-diagonal matrix can then be squeeze-transformed to a rotation, to a squeeze, or to one of the two shear matrices. It is noted that these one-parameter matrices constitute the basic elements of the Wigner's little group for space-time symmetries of elementary particles. Thus every $ABCD$ matrix can be written as a similarity transformation of one of the Wigner matrices, while the transformation matrix is a rotation preceded by a squeeze. This mathematical property enables us to compute scattering processes in periodic systems. Laser cavities and multilayer optics are discussed in detail. For both cases, it is shown possible to write the one-cycle transfer matrix as a similarity transformation of one of the Wigner matrices. It is thus possible to calculate the $ABCD$ matrix for an arbitrary number of cycles., Comment: LaTeX 18 pages

The two-by-two Sp(2) matrix has three parameters with unit determinant. Yet, there are no established procedures for diagonalizing this matrix. It is shown that this matrix can be written as a similarity transformation of the two-by-two Wigner matrix, derivable from Wigner's little group which dictates the internal space-time symmetries of relativistic particles. The Wigner matrix can be diagonalized for massive and space-like particles, while it takes a triangular form with unit diagonal elements for light-like particles. The most immediate physical application can be made to repeated one-dimensional transfer matrices appearing in many different branches of physics. Another application of current interest could be the dis-entanglement of entangled systems., Comment: 18 pages

The Stokes parameters form a Minkowskian four-vector under various optical transformations. As a consequence, the resulting two-by-two density matrix constitutes a representation of the Lorentz group. The associated Poincare sphere is a geometric representation of the Lorentz group. Since the Lorentz group preserves the determinant of the density matrix, it cannot accommodate the decoherence process through the decaying off-diagonal elements of the density matrix, which yields to an incerese in the value of the determinant. It is noted that the O(3,2) deSitter group contains two Lorentz subgroups. The change in the determinant in one Lorentz group can be compensated by the other. It is thus possible to describe the decoherence process as a symmetry transformation in the O(3,2) space. It is shown also that these two coupled Lorentz groups can serve as a concrete example of Feynman's rest of the universe., Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages

It has been almost one hundred years since Einstein formulated his special theory of relativity in 1905. He showed that the basic space-time symmetry is dictated by the Lorentz group. It is shown that this group of Lorentz transformations is not only applicable to special relativity, but also constitutes the scientific language for optical sciences. It is noted that coherent and squeezed states of light are representations of the Lorentz group. The Lorentz group is also the basic underlying language for classical ray optics, including polarization optics, interferometers, the Poincare\'e sphere, one-lens optics, multi-lens optics, laser cavities, as well multilayer optics., Comment: LaTeX 48 pages, 1 figure, review paper to be published in Journal of Optics B.(Quantum and Semi-classical Optics)

It is possible to associate two angles with two successive non-collinear Lorentz boosts. If one boost is applied after the initial boost, the result is the final boost preceded by a rotation called the Wigner rotation. The other rotation is associated with Wigner's O(3)-like little group. These two angles are shown to be different. However, it is shown that the sum of these two rotation angles is equal to the angle between the initial and final boosts. This relation is studied for both low-speed and high-speed limits. Furthermore, it is noted that the two-by-two matrices which are under the responsibility of other branches of physics can be interpreted in terms of the transformations of the Lorentz group, or vice versa. Classical ray optics is mentioned as a case in point., Comment: LaTeX, 16 Pages, 4 epsfigures

It is shown that the one-lens system in para-axial optics can serve as an optical computer for contraction of Wigner's little groups and an analogue computer which transforms analytically computations on a spherical surface to those on a hyperbolic surface. It is shown possible to construct a set of Lorentz transformations which leads to a two-by-two matrix whose expression is the same as those in the para-axial lens optics. It is shown that the lens focal condition corresponds to the contraction of the O(3)-like little group for a massive particle to the E(2)-like little group for a massless particle, and also to the contraction of the O(2,1)-like little group for a space-like particle to the same E(2)-like little group. The lens-focusing transformations presented in this paper allow us to continue analytically the spherical O(3) world to the hyperbolic O(2,1) world, and vice versa., Comment: 14 pages, RevTeX, no figures

A possible generalization of plane fronted waves with parallel rays (gpp-wave) fall into a more general class of metrics admitting parallel null 1-planes. For gpp-wave metric, the zero-curvature condition is given, the Killing-Yano tensors of order two and three are found and the corresponding Killing tensors are constructed. Henceforth, the compatibility between geometric duality and non-generic symmetries is presented., Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, to be published in Il Nuovo Cimento B

The Wigner rotation is a key word in many branches of physics, chemistry and engineering sciences. It is a group theoretical effect resulting from two Lorentz boosts. The net effect is one boost followed or preceded by a rotation. This rotation can therefore be formulated as a product of three boosts. In relativistic kinematics, it is a rotation in the Lorentz frame where the particle is at rest. This rotation does not change its momentum, but it rotates the direction of the spin. The Wigner rotation is not confined to relativistic kinematics. It manifests itself in physical systems where the underlying mathematics is the Lorentz group. It is by now widely known that this group is the basic scientific language for quantum and classical optics. It is shown that optical beams perform Wigner rotations in laser cavities., Comment: RevTeX 9 pages, 2 epsfigures

The presence of Killing-Yano tensors implies the existence of non-generic supercharges in spinning point particle theories on curved backgrounds. Dual metrics are defined through their associated non-degenerate Killing tensors of valence two. Siklos spacetimes, which are the only non-trivial Einstein spaces conformal to non-flat pp-waves are investigated in regards to the existence of their corresponding Killing and Killing-Yano tensors. It is found that under some restrictions, pp-wave metrics and Siklos spacetimes admit dual metrics and non-generic supercharges. Possible significance of those dual spacetimes are discussed., Comment: LaTeX, 8 pages

The tensorial form of the Lax pair equations are given in a compact and geometrically transparent form in the presence of Cartan's torsion tensor. Three-dimensional spacetimes admitting Lax tensors are analyzed in detail. Solutions to Lax tensor equations include interesting examples as separable coordinates and the Toda lattice., Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX

Second rank non-degenerate Killing tensors for some subclasses of spacetimes admitting parallel null one-planes are investigated. Lichn\'erowicz radiation conditions are imposed to provide a physical meaning to spacetimes whose metrics are described through their associated second rank Killing tensors. Conditions under which the dual spacetimes retain the same physical properties are presented., Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, Minor revisions in the wording in Sec.5. Typo corrected in references. Journ.-ref added

The ABCD matrix is one of the essential mathematical instruments in optics. It is the two-by-two representation of the group Sp(2), which is applicable to many branches of physics, including squeezed states of light, special relativity and coupled oscillators. It is pointed out that the shear representation is oriented to binary logic which may be friendly to computer applications. While this is a future possibility, it is known that para-axial lens optics is based on the shear representation of the Sp(2) group. It is pointed out that the most general form of the ABCD matrix can be written in terms of six shear matrices, which correspond to lens and translation matrices. The parameter for each shear matrix is computed in terms of the three independent parameters of the ABCD matrix., Comment: RevTex 12 pages, no figures

The variational methods implemented on a quadratic Yang-Mills type Lagrangian yield two sets of equations interpreted as the field equations and the energy-momentum tensor for the gravitational field. A covariant condition is imposed on the energy-momentum tensor to represent the radiation field. A generalized pp-wave metric is found to simultaneously satisfy both the field equations and the radiation condition. The result is compared with that of Lichn\'{e}rowicz., Comment: 5 pages; e mail: baskal@newton.physics.metu.edu.tr

Four $SL(2,C)$ spinors are considered within the framework of Wigner's little groups which dictate internal space-time symmetries of relativistic particles. It is indicated that the little group for a massive particle at rest is $O(3)$, while it is $O(3)$-like for a moving massive particle. The little group becomes like $E(2)$ in the infinite-momentum/zero-mass limit. Spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ particles are studied in detail, and the origin of the gauge degrees of freedom for massless particles is clarified. There are sixteen different combinations of direct products of two $SL(2,C)$ spinors for spin-1 and spin-0 particles. The state vectors for the $O(3)$ and $O(3)$-like little groups are constructed. It is shown that in the infinite-momentum/zero-mass limit, these state vectors become scalars, four-potentials and the Maxwell field tensor. It is revealed that the Maxwell field tensor so obtained corresponds to some of the state vectors constructed by Weinberg in 1964., Comment: 10 pages, RevTeX