Abstract
We present a method for measuring the transverse electric field profile of a beam of light which allows for direct phase retrieval. The measured values correspond, within a normalization constant, to the real and imaginary parts of the electric field in a plane normal to the direction of propagation. This technique represents a self-referencing method for probing the wavefront characteristics of light.
Highlights
In a recent paper we describe a method for the direct measurement of the quantum wavefunction and, as an experimental example, measure the transverse wavefunction of a single photon [1]
We experimentally demonstrate that the in-phase and in-quadrature parts of the transverse electric field profile (TEFP) appear directly as readings on our measurement apparatus to within a normalization constant
We propose a method to measure the TEFP of a beam in the plane at z = 0 defined as TEFP ( x, y) = E0 ( x, y, 0)
Summary
In a recent paper we describe a method for the direct measurement of the quantum wavefunction and, as an experimental example, measure the transverse wavefunction of a single photon [1]. The experimental approach is to make a series of measurements of the transverse electric field of a beam of polarized light in a plane across the path of the beam This is accomplished by making a slight rotation of the polarization of the part of the beam that passes through a small half waveplate. The light that passes through the pinhole is subsequently analyzed by measuring the signal imbalance in two detectors receiving the light with polarizations at ±45° with respect to the original polarization This imbalance is proportional to the real part of the transverse electric field at the position of the small λ/2 waveplate. The imbalance in right/left hand circular polarization is proportional the imaginary part of the transverse electric field at that same waveplate position The basis of this measurement is the interference of the light that passes through the sampling halfwave (λ/2) plate with that portion that goes around it. The photodetectors measure intensity, which is given by the product of the field with its complex conjugate
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