Abstract:
It has been shown that the inclusion of orientational fluctuations of the axes of nonpolar axially symmetric molecules leads to a spatial dispersion of the permittivity of a uniaxial crystal. Expressions for the local field, polarization, and principal values of the permittivity tensor of the crystal have been derived. An estimate has been made of the wavelength above which the contribution to the spatial dispersion of orientational fluctuations of the molecular axes dominates. The phase velocities of the ordinary and extraordinary electromagnetic waves in a uniaxial crystal have been determined. It has been demonstrated that additional slow extraordinary electromagnetic waves can exist near the zeros of the principal values of the permittivity tensor of the crystal in particular ranges of angles between the wave vector and the optic axis of the crystal.