Measuring the complete transverse spatial mode spectrum of a wave field.
We put forward a method that allows the experimental determination of the entire spatial mode spectrum of any arbitrary monochromatic wave field in a plane normal to its propagation direction. For coherent optical fields, our spatial spectrum analyzer can be implemented with a small number of benchmark refractive elements embedded in a single Mach-Zehnder interferometer. We detail an efficient setup for measuring in the Hermite-Gaussian mode basis. Our scheme should also be feasible in the context of atom optics for analyzing the spatial profiles of macroscopic matter waves.
Calvo
Gabriel F
GF
Grup de Física Teòrica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.
Picón
Antonio
A
Zambrini
Roberta
R
D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D008962:Models, Theoretical