Abstract
We obtain the absolute phase in Fresnel diffraction for Gaussian beams by using a modified polarization Sagnac interferometer in which counterpropagating paths are spatially separated and labeled according to polarization. By erasing the polarization "which-path" information with an analyzing polarizer situated after the modified interferometer, we are able to regain interference and to precisely control the relative intensities of the diffracted and the reference beams. The resulting optimized visibility allows for a precise phase determination. This setup is very stable, requiring no active elements.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1148-1155 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of the Optical Society of America A: Optics and Image Science, and Vision |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2007 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition