Relations between the Faraday Rotation and Refractive Index

Abstract

A general theory of the Faraday rotation, based on a standpoint of the microscopic Maxwell equation, is developed. The formula is expressed in terms of a correlation function of the spatial Fourier components of total electric current. The dielectric constant and the magnetic permeability do not appear explicitly. It is shown that the leading term of the rotational angle of polarized light is represented by refractive index. This is concerned with the Becquerel formula. The present theory also includes a formula for the natural optical rotation.