Peculiarities of reflection and transmission matrices of a system with magneto-optical activity and asymmetric transmission

[Display omitted] •Diode properties of CLC layer in the external magnetic field.•Diode properties of Asymmetric Fabry-Perot resonator with CLC layer inside.•Diode properties of Asymmetric Fabry-Perot resonator with CLC layer inside in the external magnetic field. We consider and compare the peculiarities of nonreciprocal optical properties of the following three systems: a) a planar layer of cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) in the external magnetic field directed along the CLC helix axis, b) an asymmetric Fabry-Perot resonator with a planar CLC layer inside and, finally, c) an asymmetric Fabry-Perot resonator with a planar CLC layer inside in an external magnetic field, again, directed along CLC’s axis. We investigate the specific properties of matrices of reflection and transmission of such systems in all their details. Then we study the influence of absorption on nonreciprocal optical properties of these systems. Nonreciprocity depends on the polarization of the incident light in the absence/presence of absorption in such systems; while nonreciprocity appears for naturally polarized incident light in these systems only in the presence of absorption in the system. Nonreciprocity appears for naturally polarized incident light also in photonic crystals with the helix period gradient.