Covariant theory of light in a dispersive medium

The relativistic theory of the time- and position-dependent energy momentum densities light in glasses other low-loss dispersive media, where different wavelengths propagate at phase velocities, has remained a largely unsolved challenge until now. This is astonishing view excellent theoretical understanding Maxwell's equations abundant experimental measurements optical phenomena media. related to complexity interference patterns partial waves coupling field medium dynamics by force. In this work, we use mass-polariton [Phys. Rev. A 96, 063834 (2017)] derive stress-energy-momentum (SEM) tensors medium. Our starting point, fundamental local conservation laws momentum, close that recent work on media Philbin 83, 013823 (2011)], which however, excludes power-conversion force density source terms describing between general inertial frame, present SEM Lorentz scalars, four-vectors, reflect transparent way covariance theory. are symmetric, form-invariant, full accordance with principle special relativity. tensor coupled field-medium state also zero four-divergence. Therefore, well-defined four-momentum rest frame. volume integrals total agree model quasiparticles having nonzero mass. predictions our directly accessible experiments.