Angular momentum and the Stokes parameters of an elliptically polarized electromagnetic wave

An elliptically polarized electromagnetic wave transports linear and angular momentums, and exerts force and torque on an exposed surface. The angular momentums associated with the left- (L) and right-handed (R) circularly polarized waves are parallel and opposite to the direction of propagation, respectively. Applying the principle of superposition, an algorithm is constructed to decompose the elliptically polarized wave into L- and R-components. The relationship between the resultant angular momentum and the electrical energy of the elliptically polarized wave is completely determined by Stokes parameters. Utilizing the proposed relation to study the propagation of the polarized wave through an anisotropic crystal, it is found that the angular momentum brings the ordinary and the extraordinary waves to produce self-modulation effect, working as a pilot wave, or a hidden-variable, as suggested by de Broglie and Bohm.