A POLARIZED TRANSFER-MATRIX FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC-WAVES IN STRUCTURED MEDIA

The study of electromagnetic systems with dielectric or magnetic prope rties that vary spatially on or below the scale set by the wavelength of the radiation considered is of interest both in the field of photon ic band gap materials and in that of random multiple scattering media. A key calculation technique in both areas is the transfer matrix. We derive a new transfer matrix, written in the language of scattering be tween transverse polarized wave states. This could be used in either p hotonic band calculations or in disordered media calculations. We demo nstrate the use of the new transfer matrix to describe transport throu gh a layered random dielectric in the Rayleigh scattering regime. This problem has considerable similarities to that of non-interacting elec trons in a one-dimensional random potential. A complete solution for o ne polarization can be given by the use of group theoretical results. The other polarization exhibits pronounced dipole effects which can ea sily be calculated to lowest order.