Aharonov-Bohm-like effect for light propagating in nematics with disclinations

Abstract

Using a geometric approach for the propagation of light in anisotropic media, we investigate what effect the director field of disclinations may have on the polarization state of light. Parallel transport around the defect, of the spinor describing the polarization, indicates the acquisition of a topological phase, in analogy with the Aharonov-Bohm effect.

6 pages, to appear in Europhysics Letters