Revisiting Gouy phase

The aim of this paper is to highlight the added value of the generalized Gouy phase shift introduced by Siegman. Although suited for optical systems study, including those more complex than free space, we note that it did not meet the use that it deserves so far. The analysis of the whole of the ideas and analytical approaches associated to the important concept of the Gouy phase proves its effectiveness.

Usually, the resonance condition is systematically built on the basis of the equivalent empty cavity. Unfortunately, this approach does not cover some of the useful parameters of the real resonator. By means of the generalized Gouy phase and the self-consistent complex parameter q, we derive here a new approach for the calculation of the resonance condition for the real cavity. Moreover, the use of the generalized Gouy phase clearly simplifies the study of resonators, while making it possible to avoid the use of the Huygens’ Fresnel integral.     

Gouy phase compensation in quasi-phase matching

In any focussed nonlinear interaction the focus induced phase shift, known as the Gouy phase shift, provides an imperfection in phase matching for any linearly invariant material. However, using an appropriately designed quasi-phase matched structure it is theoretically possible to compensate for the deleterious effects of the Gouy phase shift, allowing a symmetric frequency response and tighter optimal focussing than in a uniform material.     

Focusing and phase compensation of paraxial beams by a left-handed material slab

On the basis of angular spectrum representation, a formalism describing paraxial beams propagating through an isotropic left-handed material (LHM) slab is presented. The treatment allows us to introduce the ideas of beam focusing and phase compensation by LHM slab. Because of the negative refractive index of LHM slab, the inverse Gouy phase shift and the negative Rayleigh length of paraxial Gaussian beam are proposed. It is shown that the phase difference caused by the Gouy phase shift in right-handed material (RHM) can be compensated by that caused by the inverse Gouy phase shift in LHM. If certain matching conditions are satisfied, the intensity and phase distributions at object plane can be completely reconstructed at the image plane.     

Fractional Gouy phase

In general, the total Gouy phase shift has the form n pi, where n need not be an integer. As a result of the Fourier transforming property of a lens, the Gouy phase is found to be related to the types of discontinuities at the upper or lower range of the pupil function Q(c) resulting from the asymptotic order of the Fourier transform. The sign of the Gouy phase is also related to the slope of the pupil function. The oscillations of the Gouy phase shift arise from the strength of the nondominant discontinuity.     

Dynamic non-Maxwellian screening effects on elastic collisions in Lorentzian plasmas

The dynamic plasma screening and non-Maxwellian effects on elastic electron-ion collisions are investigated in generalized Lorentzian distribution plasmas. The eikonal is employed to obtain the eikonal phase as a function of the spectral index, impact parameter, collision energy, thermal energy, and Debye length. The result shows that the non-Maxwellian effect suppresses the eikonal phase. It is found that the dynamic screening effect significantly enhances the elastic collision cross section for the low thermal energy case. In addition, the eikonal collision cross section is increased by the non-Maxwellian effect.     

Observation of Gouy phase anomaly with an interferometer

The intensity variation of bright and dark fringes in Young's double slit experiment shows that a light beam propagating through the focus of a lens experiences a phase shift (called the Gouy phase shift [Gouy CR. Acad Sci Paris 1890;110:1251]) with respect to its plane wave counterpart. The additional phase change of π introduced on focusing the light beam and then further propagating it in one arm of the interferometer changes a bright fringe into a dark fringe and vice-versa. We have, thus, made direct visualization of the Gouy phase shift by a simple experiment.     

Physical origin of the Gouy phase shift

We show explicitly that the well-known Gouy phase shift of any focused beam originates from transverse spatial confinement, which, through the uncertainty principle, introduces a spread in the transverse momenta and hence a shift in the expectation value of the axial propagation constant. A general expression is given for the Gouy phase shift in terms of expectation values of the squares of the transverse momenta. Our result also explains the phase shift in front of the Kirchhoff diffraction integral.     

Imaging the Gouy phase shift in photonic jets with a wavefront sensor

A wavefront sensor is used as a direct observation tool to image the Gouy phase shift in photonic nanojets created by micrometer-sized dielectric spheres. The amplitude and phase distributions of light are found in good agreement with a rigorous electromagnetic computation. Interestingly the observed phase shift when travelling through the photonic jet is a combination of the awaited π Gouy shift and a phase shift induced by the bead refraction. Such direct spatial phase shift observation using wavefront sensors would find applications in microscopy, diffractive optics, optical trapping, and point spread function engineering.     

Gouy phase for full-aperture spherical and cylindrical waves

We investigate the Gouy phase shift for full-aperture waves converging to a focal point from all directions in two and three dimensions. We find a simple interpretation for the Gouy phase in this situation and show that it has a dramatic effect on reshaping sharply localized pulses.     

The Gouy phase shift of the highly focused radially polarized beam

The Gouy phase shift in the focal field of high-NA focused radially polarized beam has been investigated in detail. Analytical expression for the Gouy phase shift can be derived using tilted wave interpretation, which provides a reasonable prediction compared to vectorial diffraction numerical simulation. Using this method, irregular wave spacing in the vicinity of the focus can be revealed.     

超连续谱干涉方法测量古依相移

利用两束超连续光干涉得到的信号,测量了透镜焦点附近飞秒激光脉冲的古依(Gouy)相移。根据得到的光谱干涉信号,利用傅里叶变换得到相对相位值。激光光束在聚焦透镜后的束腰半径可以由成像方法测得。根据测量得到的激光光束束腰半径,用非线性拟合的方法得到了古依相移曲线,拟合曲线与实验结果符合得非常好。给出了古依相位在焦点前后1 mm区域内的移动量。     

负折射率平板透镜系统中的光束聚焦及相位补偿特性

利用平面角谱理论,建立厄米-高斯光束和拉盖尔-高斯光束在负折射率平板透镜系统中的傍轴传输模型,研究负折射率平板透镜中厄米-高斯光束和拉盖尔-高斯光束强度聚焦及相位补偿特性。结果发现:负折射率平板透镜产生的反向Gouy相移可以补偿空气中Gouy相移导致的相差,因而在满足相位匹配条件下,光束在物平面和像平面之间的相差为零;当强度聚焦和相位匹配条件同时满足的条件下,光束在物平面强度和相位分布可在像平面实现完全重构。     

光束在左手材料中的强度和相位旋转特性

建立了左手材料中拉盖尔高斯光束传输模型,通过研究拉盖尔高斯光束的相位分布来分析光束的强度旋转特性。具体分析了光束参数模式、Gouy相、频率和色散对光束强度和相位旋转特性的影响。研究发现:方位角相差是导致光束强度旋转的主要原因;负折射率引起的逆的Gouy相移将会导致光束强度反转;在正常色散区左手材料中光束的强度和相位旋转方向是相同的,而在反常色散区,左手材料中光束的强度和相位旋转方向是相反的。     

Acceleration of femtosecond pulses to superluminal velocities by Gouy phase shift

The phase and the group velocities are calculated in a three-dimensional neighbourhood of the focus of an aberration-free lens illuminated by a spatially Gaussian beam. The Gouy phase shift caused by the diffraction results in superluminal pulse propagation on the optical axis within the Rayleigh range.     

Spatiotemporal structure of isodiffracting ultrashort electromagnetic pulses

We present a model of isodiffracting single-cycle and few-cycle ultrashort electromagnetic pulses. The model is based on exact solutions of the time-dependent paraxial wave equation with space-time coupling effects included. The spatiotemporal structure of these pulses is characterized by a scaling parameter which relates off-axis pulse shapes to the axial temporal waveforms. Depending on the spectrum a pulse may transform itself from a single-cycle pulse to a multicycle pulse along the radial coordinate. This model is also used to describe recirculating pulses in a curved mirror cavity resonator. The Gouy phase shift contributes an absolute phase that results in a pulse-to-pulse temporal instability.     

Comment on "Generation of 10(11) contrast 50 TW laser pulses"

We argue for a different physical interpretation of the results given in the recent Letter by Chvykov et al. [Opt. Lett.31, 1456 (2006)] in which a double nonlinear crystal scheme for cross-polarized wave generation is analyzed. We discuss the most important factors that explain the origin of the two-crystal scheme's increased efficiency, namely, the Kerr lensing effect and a Gouy phase shift. The position and orientation of the second crystal relative to the first one are unambiguously defined; related effects are illustrated by already published works on the subject.     

Eikonal expansion

An eikonal expansion of the potential scattering T matrix is evaluated, without approximation, through third order in the inverse momentum. Based on the results, their correspondence with the WKB approximation and a new statement of the unitarity constraint, we propose a sequence of four approximations to the exact impact parameter (Fourier-Bessel) representation of the scattering matrix. The sequence consists of the Glauber approximation and three systematic corrections to the Glauber approximation. The corrections are analytic functions of the impact parameter for Yukawa and Gaussian potentials; they vanish for a Coulomb potential.The sequence of eikonal amplitudes is convergent at high energy and is clearly established for small momentum transfer. Validity for all momentum transfer is conjectured based on systematic cancellation, explicitly verified through third order in the expansion, of momentum transfer dependence in the eikonal impact parameter representation. Such cancellation is shown to occur in the explicit construction of the eikonal expansion of the second Born amplitude for a Yukawa potential.Numerical tests of the sequence of eikonal amplitudes show systematic increase of the angular range of validity by comparison with partial wave results for continuous potentials; the theory is not convergent for discontinuous potentials.The WKB phase shift formula is shown to produce a systematic connection with eikonal expansion results. From this we deduce a generating function for the eikonal phase corrections of arbitrary order and also conjecture a sum of the eikonal expansion valid in the limit of high energy and arbitrary potential strength.     

Observing quantum correlation of photons in Laguerre-Gauss modes using the Gouy phase

The effect of the Gouy phase, which is one of the geometrical phases of photons, is observed through quantum correlation in Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes. In an experiment, the relative phase of two different LG modes of measurement basis states is manipulated via the Gouy phase, and the observed coincidence count rates agree well with theoretical predictions. This result suggests that the Gouy phase can be used as a new tool to manipulate multidimensional photonic quantum states.     

Manifestation of the Gouy phase in vector-vortex beams

Experimental measurements of the twirl and changes in the anisotropy of the constant intensity ellipse, and the rotation of the polarization singular lemon pattern a generalized vector-vortex beam experiences around the two foci due to the converging and diverging conical waves and in between, are presented and interpreted as being due to the universal form of the Gouy phase, φ(G)=mπ/2.     

Perfect quasi-phase matching for the third-harmonic generation using focused Gaussian beams

We propose a method to realize perfect quasi-phase matching (QPM) for nonlinear optical interactions involving Gaussian beams. Using this method, both the wave-vector mismatching and the Gouy phase shift can be compensated. Numerical simulations for the third-harmonic generation show that conversion efficiency near to 100% can be realized even if the fundamental wave is tightly focused, which is difficult or even impossible with the conventional QPM method.