Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

OSA Workshop on Entanglement and Quantum Decoherence

Atomic Coherence and Matter-wave Goos-Hänchen-Like Shifts

Jianhua Huang, Zhenglu Duan, Hong Yuan Ling, Weiping Zhang

Published Jan 1, 2008• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In conventional optics for light waves, the pioneering work by Goos-Hänchen in 1947 on the lateral shift (or displacement) of a light beam along the surface of a dielectric boundary under the condition of total reflection has stimulated a large number of studies. The key physics behind the Goos-Hänchen shift is the nature of wave interference. From the perspective of wave optics, the incident beam of a finite transverse width can be viewed as composed of plane wave components, each of which has a slightly different transverse wavevector. Each wave component, after the total internal reflection, undergoes a different phase shift, and the superposition of all the reflected wave components gives rise to the lateral shift of the intensity peak in the reflected beam.

DOI
10.1364/weqd.2008.eas3

Related papers

Goos-Hänchen-like shift of three-level matter wave incident on Raman beams

Zhenglu Duan, Liyun Hu, Xue-xiang Xu +1 more

When a three-level atomic wavepacket is obliquely incident on a "medium slab" consisting of two far-detuned laser beams, there exists lateral shift between reflection and incident points at the surface of a "medium slab", analogous to optical Goos-Hänchen effect. We evaluate lateral shifts for reflected and transmitted waves via expansion of reflection and transmission coefficients, in contrast to the stationary phase method. Results show that lateral shifts can be either positive or negative dependent on the incident angle and the atomic internal state. Interestingly, a giant lateral shift of transmitted wave with high transmission probability is observed, which is helpful to observe such lateral shifts experimentally. Different from the two-level atomic wave case, we find that quantum interference between different atomic states plays crucial role on the transmission intensity and corresponding lateral shifts.

arXiv:1312.4671•Optics Express•Jul 14, 2014•4 citations

Goos-Hänchen Shifts of Partially Coherent Light Fields

Li‐Gang Wang, Shi‐Yao Zhu, Muhammad Suhail Zubairy

The Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift refers to a lateral displacement (from the path expected from geometrical optics) along an interface in totally internal reflection. This phenomenon results from a coherence effect. In order to bring to light the role of coherence, the reflection of partially coherent light fields was investigated within the framework of the theory of coherence. A formal expression for the GH shifts of partially coherent light fields is obtained in terms of Mercer's expansion. It is shown that both the spatial coherence and the beam width have an important effect on the GH shift, especially near the critical angles (such as totally reflection angle). These results are important to observe the GH shifts of the beams with imperfect coherence, like x-ray and matter-wave beams.

arXiv:1307.6256•Physical Review Letters•Nov 26, 2013•52 citations

Goos-Hänchen-like shifts in atom optics

Jianhua Z. Huang, Zhenglu Duan, Hong Yuan Ling +1 more

We consider the propagation of a matter wave packet of two-level atoms through a square potential created by a super-Gaussian laser beam. We explore the matter wave analog of Goos-H\"anchen shift within the framework of atom optics where the roles of atom and light are exchanged with respect to conventional optics. Using a vector theory, where atoms are treated as particles possessing two internal spin components, we show that not only large negative but also large positive Goos-H\"anchen shifts can occur in the reflected atomic beam.

arXiv:0802.2149•Physical Review A•Jun 11, 2008•62 citations

Lateral shift of three-level matter wave incident on Raman beams

Zhenglu Duan, Liyun Hu, Xue-xiang Xu +1 more

We investigate the Goos-Hanchen-like lateral shift of a three-level atomic wavepacket obliquely impinging on the ”medium slab” made up of two super-Gaussian far-detuned laser beams. The lateral shifts are obtained by expansion of transmission and reflection coefficients, instead of stationary phase method. Numerical results show that the lateral shifts can be either positive or negative dependent on the incident angle and the atomic state. Importantly, we have observed a large lateral shift with a high transmission probability. Different from two-level atomic wavepacket case, quantum interference plays important roles in the transmission intensity and the corresponding lateral shifts of transmitted waves.

•Dec 17, 2013•0 citations

Phase-Space Nonseparability, Partial Coherence, and Optical Beam Shifts

Yahong Chen, Sergey A. Ponomarenko

As a paraxial wave packet is reflected or refracted from a planar interface separating two material media, it experiences spatial and angular shifts of its center position with respect to predictions of the geometrical ray picture. These in-plane and out-of-plane beam shifts are known as Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Fedorov shifts, respectively. We discover a universal link between the phase-space nonseparability of an incident wave packet of any degree of spatial coherence and the reflected beam shifts. We unveil coherence Goos-Hänchen and coherence Hall effects, absent in the fully coherent limit. While the former effect can trigger a pronounced enhancement of the spatial Goos-Hänchen shift, the latter enables control of the spatial Imbert-Fedorov shift, from complete cancellation at a certain incidence angle to dramatic enhancement of the shift to giant magnitudes for nearly incoherent incident wave packets. Our results are equally applicable to optical, x-ray, and neutron, as well as matter waves, and they showcase novel phenomena in wave-matter interactions.

arXiv:2509.06263•Physical Review Letters•Oct 21, 2025•10 citations

Photon Mass and New Experimental Results on Longitudinal Displacements of Laser Beams near Total Reflection

GORDON J. TROUP, Jim Francey, R. G. Turner +1 more

The suggestion of de Broglie and Vigier that an "intermediate shift" might be expected to be obtained in the Goos-Hanchen effect, for plane polarized beams having components both parallel and perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the totally reflective surface, is shown to be untenable. Their quoted experimental results are adequately explained classically.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 5, 1972•12 citations
In conventional optics for light waves, the pioneering work by Goos-Hänchen in 1947 on the lateral shift (or displacement) of a light beam along the surface of a dielectric boundary under the condition of total reflection has stimulated a large number of studies. The key physics behind the Goos-Hänchen shift is the nature of wave interference. From the perspective of wave optics, the incident beam of a finite transverse width can be viewed as composed of plane wave components, each of which has a slightly different transverse wavevector. Each wave component, after the total internal reflection, undergoes a different phase shift, and the superposition of all the reflected wave components gives rise to the lateral shift of the intensity peak in the reflected beam.
When a three-level atomic wavepacket is obliquely incident on a "medium slab" consisting of two far-detuned laser beams, there exists lateral shift between reflection and incident points at the surface of a "medium slab", analogous to optical Goos-Hänchen effect. We evaluate lateral shifts for reflected and transmitted waves via expansion of reflection and transmission coefficients, in contrast to the stationary phase method. Results show that lateral shifts can be either positive or negative dependent on the incident angle and the atomic internal state. Interestingly, a giant lateral shift of transmitted wave with high transmission probability is observed, which is helpful to observe such lateral shifts experimentally. Different from the two-level atomic wave case, we find that quantum interference between different atomic states plays crucial role on the transmission intensity and corresponding lateral shifts.
The Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift refers to a lateral displacement (from the path expected from geometrical optics) along an interface in totally internal reflection. This phenomenon results from a coherence effect. In order to bring to light the role of coherence, the reflection of partially coherent light fields was investigated within the framework of the theory of coherence. A formal expression for the GH shifts of partially coherent light fields is obtained in terms of Mercer's expansion. It is shown that both the spatial coherence and the beam width have an important effect on the GH shift, especially near the critical angles (such as totally reflection angle). These results are important to observe the GH shifts of the beams with imperfect coherence, like x-ray and matter-wave beams.
We consider the propagation of a matter wave packet of two-level atoms through a square potential created by a super-Gaussian laser beam. We explore the matter wave analog of Goos-H\"anchen shift within the framework of atom optics where the roles of atom and light are exchanged with respect to conventional optics. Using a vector theory, where atoms are treated as particles possessing two internal spin components, we show that not only large negative but also large positive Goos-H\"anchen shifts can occur in the reflected atomic beam.
We investigate the Goos-Hanchen-like lateral shift of a three-level atomic wavepacket obliquely impinging on the ”medium slab” made up of two super-Gaussian far-detuned laser beams. The lateral shifts are obtained by expansion of transmission and reflection coefficients, instead of stationary phase method. Numerical results show that the lateral shifts can be either positive or negative dependent on the incident angle and the atomic state. Importantly, we have observed a large lateral shift with a high transmission probability. Different from two-level atomic wavepacket case, quantum interference plays important roles in the transmission intensity and the corresponding lateral shifts of transmitted waves.
As a paraxial wave packet is reflected or refracted from a planar interface separating two material media, it experiences spatial and angular shifts of its center position with respect to predictions of the geometrical ray picture. These in-plane and out-of-plane beam shifts are known as Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Fedorov shifts, respectively. We discover a universal link between the phase-space nonseparability of an incident wave packet of any degree of spatial coherence and the reflected beam shifts. We unveil coherence Goos-Hänchen and coherence Hall effects, absent in the fully coherent limit. While the former effect can trigger a pronounced enhancement of the spatial Goos-Hänchen shift, the latter enables control of the spatial Imbert-Fedorov shift, from complete cancellation at a certain incidence angle to dramatic enhancement of the shift to giant magnitudes for nearly incoherent incident wave packets. Our results are equally applicable to optical, x-ray, and neutron, as well as matter waves, and they showcase novel phenomena in wave-matter interactions.