A four-vector field based formulation for bianisotropic media

A four-vector field based formulation that is suitable for a special class of bianisotropic media is presented. The well known six-vector field based formulation is also reviewed for the sake of comparison. Advantages and drawbacks of the six and four-vector formalisms are discussed and the applicability to various material tensor forms is highlighted. It is shown that, when applicable, the four-vector field based formulation can offer simplification in mathematical analysis due to its reduced dimensionality. In addition, the more compact notation of the four-vector approach can more clearly reveal the physical nature of the currents and corresponding fields. The Green's function of a parallel-plate waveguide filled with uniaxial electric and magnetic material is found in order to demonstrate the practical implementation and methodology of the four-vector approach. Future works are discussed, which include application of the four-vector formalism to various guiding structures involving bianisotropic media and a two-vector formalism that is suitable for gyrotropic bianisotropic materials.