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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry
Published on: August 12, 2013
Propagation dynamics of optical vortices due to Gouy phase
S M Baumann1, D M Kalb, L H MacMillan
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate University Hamilton, New York 13346, USA.
Abstract:
We study the propagation of off-axis vortices in a paraxial beam formed by two collinear Laguerre-Gauss beams. We show that the vortices move about the beam axis as the light propagates resulting in a rotation of the beam's transverse profile. This rotation is explained by the Gouy phase acquired by the component beams. Experimental measurements of the angular position of the vortices are in good agreement with a two-mode theory.
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