Eur. Phys. J. B (2022) 95: 11
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-021-00274-w

Regular Article - Solid State and Materials

Chiral magnetic effect in Weyl semimetals and negative refraction

Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, 221005, Varanasi, India

Received: 25 October 2021
Accepted: 27 December 2021
Published online: 13 January 2022

Abstract

The role of the chiral magnetic effect (CME) in Weyl semimetals is considered within the framework of classical electrodynamics. The dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves is studied using their helical polarization. It has been shown that the refractive index in this class of materials becomes negative in the frequency range below the plasma frequency. The CME (a signature of chiral anomaly/ axial anomaly) which is due to the application of parallel electric and magnetic fields in Weyl semimetals thus opens up a new way of realizing negative refractive index (NRI). The relevance of the present work to negative refraction through chiral route where cross polarization (magnetization) induced by magnetic fields (electric fields) occurs in chiral materials is discussed. This novel phenomenon of negative refraction in Weyl semimetals might help in exploiting this class of materials in potential applications.