Polarimetric measurement method to calculate optical beam shifts

Abstract

Stokes polarimetry measurements are carried out to calculate the spatial and angular Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Fedorov shifts of a Gaussian beam reflected at glass-air interface, by measuring the phase difference between the TE and TM components and the amplitude of reflection. Variation of the beam shifts as a function of input beam polarization is also measured. The results obtained here are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions and the results obtained using a position sensitive detector. The polarimetric measurement method is accurate, independent of the intensity distribution of the beam, and opens up a new method to study the beam shift problem. © 2014 Optical Society of America.