Hello all, I'm still trying to understand how to use Meep, and I've hit a point of confusion. According to the FAQ: >Are complex fields physical?
>No. Unlike quantum mechanics, complex fields in classical electromagnetics are not physical. In a linear system, one can always take the real part at the end of the computation to obtain a physical result. When there are nonlinearities, the physical interpretation is much more non-obvious. Why is this the case? I would expect that the complex field would correspond to a phase-shifted field. For example, if I were to excite a birefringent structure with a linearly polarized plane wave, wouldn't I expect an output field with complex components due to the retardation of the phase? Thank you in advance.
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