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American Journal of Physics

On the Goos-Hänchen Effect: A Simple Example of a Time Delay Scattering Process

King-Chuen Chiu, J. J. Quinn

Published Dec 1, 1972• 52 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A very simple analysis of the Goos-Hänchen effect, involving only elementary concepts of classical mechanics, is presented.
DOI
10.1119/1.1987075

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We explore the analogy between following the motion of a reflected wave packet and a quantum measurement of the spatial delay imposed on the particle by the scattering potential. It is shown that converting such delays into temporal durations can lead to “negative times,” and best be avoided. It is also demonstrated that a “soft” potential can be replaced by a superposition of hard walls. This representation is used for calculating the Goos-Hänchen shift of a Gaussian beam incident on a potential step or a barrier at an oblique angle.
Abstract The Goos–Hänchen (GH) effect, a longitudinal shift of a wave beam at total internal reflection, is well known in optics and has been repeatedly observed for light, micro-, and ultrasonic waves. We consider the GH effect for a massive particle reflected from a material boundary. A close relation is shown to exist between the longitudinal shift and the time delay of reflection. In the case of a neutron reflected from a planar resonant system, a giant longitudinal shift of either positive or negative sign can occur, corresponding to a large reflection group delay time. This time can also be negative, which does not contradict the causality principle. Prospects of the experimental observation of the GH effect and group delay time for neutron reflection are reviewed.