ACCUMULATED GOUY PHASE-SHIFT IN GAUSSIAN-BEAM PROPAGATION THROUGH FIRST-ORDER OPTICAL-SYSTEMS

We define the accumulated Gouy phase shift as the on-axis phase accumu lated by a Gaussian beam in passing through an optical system, in exce ss of the phase accumulated by a plane wave. We give an expression for the accumulated Gouy phase shift in terms of the parameters of the sy stem through which the beam propagates. This quantity complements the beam diameter and the wave-front radius of curvature to constitute thr ee parameters that uniquely characterize the beam with respect to a re ference point in the system. Measurement of these parameters allows on e to uniquely recover the parameters characterizing the first-order sy stem through which the beam propagates. (C) 1997 Optical Society of Am erica.