Quantum spin Hall effect of light

Abstract

A quantum twist on classical optics Interpreting recent experimental results of light interactions with matter shows that the classical Maxwell theory of light has intrinsic quantum spin Hall effect properties even in free space. Complex effects in condensed-matter systems can often find analogs in cleaner optical systems. Bliokh et al. argue that the optical systems exhibiting such complex phenomena should also be simpler (see the Perspective by Stone). Their theoretical study shows that free-space light has a nonzero topological spin Chern number and thus should have counterpropagating surface modes. Such modes are actually well known and can be described as evanescent modes of Maxwell equations. Science , this issue p. 1448 ; see also p. 1432