Geometric phase in a flat space for electromagnetic scalar waves.
We show the existence of a fundamental geometric phase for classical electromagnetic fields arising after cyclic paths in a plane instead of a sphere. This phase is dispersive, is not related to polarization, distinguishes geometrical from wave optics, and can be easily measured in an interferometric arrangement.
Luis
Alfredo
A
Departamento de Optica, Faculdad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain. alluis@fis.ucm.es