Polarization, transverse shifts, and angular momentum conservation laws in partial reflection and refraction of an electromagnetic wave packet

Journal Article · Fri Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVE.75.066609· OSTI ID:21075561

Bliokh, K Yu ^[1]; Bliokh, Yu P ^[2]

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1. Institute of Radio Astronomy, 4 Krasnoznamyonnaya St., Kharkov, 61002 (Ukraine)
2. Department of Physics, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000 (Israel)

We present a solution to the problem of partial reflection and refraction of a polarized paraxial Gaussian beam at the interface between two transparent media. The Fedorov-Imbert transverse shifts of the centers of gravity of the reflected and refracted beams are calculated. Our results differ in the general case from those derived previously by other authors. In particular, they obey general conservation law for the beams' total angular momentum but do not obey one-particle conservation laws for individual photons, which have been proposed by [Onoda et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 083901 (2004)]. We ascertain that these circumstances relate to the artificial model accepted in the literature for the polarized beam; this model does not fit to real beams. The present paper resolves the recent controversy and confirms the results of our previous paper [Bliokh et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 073903 (2006)]. In addition, a diffraction effect of angular transverse shifts of the reflected and refracted beams is described.

• OSTI ID: 21075561
• Journal Information: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics, Journal Name: Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 75; ISSN PLEEE8; ISSN 1063-651X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
CONSERVATION LAWS
DIFFRACTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GAUSS FUNCTION
GRAVITATION
PHOTONS
POLARIZATION
POLARIZED BEAMS
REFLECTION
REFRACTION