title: Determination of the quantized topological magneto-electric effect in topological insulators from Rayleigh scattering.
abstract: Topological insulators (TIs) exhibit many exotic properties. In particular, a topological magneto-electric (TME) effect, quantized in units of the fine structure constant, exists in TIs. Here, we theoretically study the scattering properties of electromagnetic waves by TI circular cylinders particularly in the Rayleigh scattering limit. Compared with ordinary dielectric cylinders, the scattering by TI cylinders shows many unusual features due to the TME effect. Two proposals are suggested to determine the TME effect of TIs simply by measuring the electric-field components of scattered waves in the far field at one or two scattering angles. Our results could also offer a way to measure the fine structure constant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Key laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (MOE), and Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Key laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (MOE), and Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Tianrong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, Key laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (MOE), and Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China [2] Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
authors.forename: Dezhuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, Key laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (MOE), and Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, Key laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (MOE), and Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zi