CLASSICAL OPTICS IN GENERALIZED MAXWELL-CHERN-SIMONS THEORY

We consider the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a two-dimensio nal polarizable medium endowed with Chern-Simons terms. The dispersion relation (refractive index) of the waves is computed and the existenc e of linear birefringence and anomalous dispersion is shown. When abso rption is taken into account we find the classic signature of a Voigt effect. In the case where linearly polarized, three-dimensional waves pass through a two-dimensional plane we show that there is optical act ivity and compute the analog of Verdet's constant.