Physics – Optics
Scientific paper
2009-12-09
Physics
Optics
34 pages, 2 figures
Scientific paper
The transverse spatial structure of a basis set of paraxial optical modes is fully characterized by a set of parameters that vary only slowly under free propagation. The parameters specify bosonic ladder operators that connect modes of different order, in analogy to the ladder operators connecting harmonic-oscillator wave functions. The parameter spaces underlying closed subspaces of higher-order modes are carbon copies of the parameter space of the ladder operators. We study the geometry of this space and the geometric phase that arises from it. This phase constitutes the ultimate generalization of the Gouy phase in paraxial wave optics and we recover the ordinary Gouy phase shift and the geometric phase for optical orbital angular momentum states as limiting cases. We discuss an analogy with the Aharonov-Bohm effect that reveals some deep insights in the nature and origin of the generalized Gouy phase shift.
Habraken Steven J. M.
Nienhuis Gerard
No associations
LandOfFree
Geometric phases for astigmatic optical modes of arbitrary order does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Geometric phases for astigmatic optical modes of arbitrary order, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Geometric phases for astigmatic optical modes of arbitrary order will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-593967