Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Cholesteric Materials

Equations are derived for the propagation of electromagnetic waves along the axis of a cholesteric material, using constitutive equations based on a theoretical model for the structure of this type of material. The resulting time-independent equations are a pair of coupled equations for left- and right-hand circularly polarized waves. Solutions are obtained for these equations and are shown to provide good agreement with experimental observations on the circular dichroism and reflection of circularly polarized light for cholesteric materials.