Using a recently developed technique (SEA TADPOLE) for easily measuring the complete spatiotemporal electric field of light pulses with micrometer spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution, we directly demonstrate the formation of theo-called boundary diffraction wave and Arago’s spot after an aperture, as well as the superluminal propagation of the spot. Our spatiotemporally resolved measurements beautifully confirm the time-domain treatment of diffraction. Also they prove very useful for modern physical optics, especially in micro- and meso-optics, and also significantly aid in the understanding of diffraction phenomena in general.

© 2010 OSA

1. G. A. Maggi, “Sulla propagazione libera e perturbata delle onde luminose in mezzo isotropo,” Ann. di Mat IIa,” 16, 21–48 (1888).
2. A. Rubinowicz, “Thomas Young and the theory of diffraction,” Nature 180(4578), 160–162 (1957). [CrossRef]
3. g. See, monograph M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1987, 6th ed) and references therein.
4. Z. L. Horváth and Z. Bor, “Diffraction of short pulses with boundary diffraction wave theory,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys. 63(2), 026601 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. P. Bowlan, P. Gabolde, A. Shreenath, K. McGresham, R. Trebino, and S. Akturk, “Crossed-beam spectral interferometry: a simple, high-spectral-resolution method for completely characterizing complex ultrashort pulses in real time,” Opt. Express 14(24), 11892–11900 (2006) (and references therein). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. Z. L. Horváth, J. Klebniczki, G. Kurdi, and A. Kovács, “Experimental investigation of the boundary wave pulse,” Opt. Commun. 239(4-6), 243–250 (2004). [CrossRef]
7. D. Chauvat, O. Emile, M. Brunel, and A. Le Floch, “Direct measurement of the central fringe velocity in Young-type experiments,” Phys. Lett. A 295(2-3), 78–80 (2002). [CrossRef]
8. M. Vasnetsov, V. Pas’ko, A. Khoroshun, V. Slyusar, and M. Soskin, “Observation of superluminal wave-front propagation at the shadow area behind an opaque disk,” Opt. Lett. 32(13), 1830–1832 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. P. Saari and K. Reivelt, “Evidence of X-shaped propagation-invariant localized light waves,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 79(21), 4135–4138 (1997). [CrossRef]
10. P. Bowlan, H. Valtna-Lukner, M. Lõhmus, P. Piksarv, P. Saari, and R. Trebino, “Measuring the spatiotemporal field of ultrashort Bessel-X pulses,” Opt. Lett. 34(15), 2276–2278 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. H. Valtna-Lukner, P. Bowlan, M. Lõhmus, P. Piksarv, R. Trebino, and P. Saari, “Direct spatiotemporal measurements of accelerating ultrashort Bessel-type light bullets,” Opt. Express 17(17), 14948–14955 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. P. Piksarv, MSc thesis, University of Tartu (2009).
13. P. Bowlan, P. Gabolde, and R. Trebino, “Directly measuring the spatio-temporal electric field of focusing ultrashort pulses,” Opt. Express 15(16), 10219–10230 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. P. Bowlan, U. Fuchs, R. Trebino, and U. D. Zeitner, “Measuring the spatiotemporal electric field of tightly focused ultrashort pulses with sub-micron spatial resolution,” Opt. Express 16(18), 13663–13675 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. If viewing the plots without magnification in a computer screen the Moiré effect may obscure the actual small period of the intensity oscillations and increase of the period.

Akturk, S.
Bor, Z.
Bowlan, P.
Brunel, M.
Chauvat, D.
Emile, O.
Fuchs, U.
Gabolde, P.
Horváth, Z. L.
Khoroshun, A.
Klebniczki, J.
Kovács, A.
Kurdi, G.
Le Floch, A.
Lõhmus, M.
Maggi, G. A.
McGresham, K.
Pas’ko, V.
Piksarv, P.
Reivelt, K.
Rubinowicz, A.
Saari, P.
Shreenath, A.
Slyusar, V.
Soskin, M.
Trebino, R.
Valtna-Lukner, H.
Vasnetsov, M.
Zeitner, U. D.

Ann. di Mat

• G. A. Maggi, “Sulla propagazione libera e perturbata delle onde luminose in mezzo isotropo,” Ann. di Mat IIa,” 16, 21–48 (1888).

Nature

• A. Rubinowicz, “Thomas Young and the theory of diffraction,” Nature 180(4578), 160–162 (1957). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• Z. L. Horváth, J. Klebniczki, G. Kurdi, and A. Kovács, “Experimental investigation of the boundary wave pulse,” Opt. Commun. 239(4-6), 243–250 (2004). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• P. Bowlan, P. Gabolde, A. Shreenath, K. McGresham, R. Trebino, and S. Akturk, “Crossed-beam spectral interferometry: a simple, high-spectral-resolution method for completely characterizing complex ultrashort pulses in real time,” Opt. Express 14(24), 11892–11900 (2006) (and references therein). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. Valtna-Lukner, P. Bowlan, M. Lõhmus, P. Piksarv, R. Trebino, and P. Saari, “Direct spatiotemporal measurements of accelerating ultrashort Bessel-type light bullets,” Opt. Express 17(17), 14948–14955 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Bowlan, P. Gabolde, and R. Trebino, “Directly measuring the spatio-temporal electric field of focusing ultrashort pulses,” Opt. Express 15(16), 10219–10230 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Bowlan, U. Fuchs, R. Trebino, and U. D. Zeitner, “Measuring the spatiotemporal electric field of tightly focused ultrashort pulses with sub-micron spatial resolution,” Opt. Express 16(18), 13663–13675 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• P. Bowlan, H. Valtna-Lukner, M. Lõhmus, P. Piksarv, P. Saari, and R. Trebino, “Measuring the spatiotemporal field of ultrashort Bessel-X pulses,” Opt. Lett. 34(15), 2276–2278 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Vasnetsov, V. Pas’ko, A. Khoroshun, V. Slyusar, and M. Soskin, “Observation of superluminal wave-front propagation at the shadow area behind an opaque disk,” Opt. Lett. 32(13), 1830–1832 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Lett. A

• D. Chauvat, O. Emile, M. Brunel, and A. Le Floch, “Direct measurement of the central fringe velocity in Young-type experiments,” Phys. Lett. A 295(2-3), 78–80 (2002). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys.

• Z. L. Horváth and Z. Bor, “Diffraction of short pulses with boundary diffraction wave theory,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys. 63(2), 026601 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• P. Saari and K. Reivelt, “Evidence of X-shaped propagation-invariant localized light waves,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 79(21), 4135–4138 (1997). [CrossRef]

Other

• g. See, monograph M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1987, 6th ed) and references therein.
• If viewing the plots without magnification in a computer screen the Moiré effect may obscure the actual small period of the intensity oscillations and increase of the period.
• P. Piksarv, MSc thesis, University of Tartu (2009).

2009, Bowlan, Opt. Lett.
2009, Valtna-Lukner, Opt. Express
2008, Bowlan, Opt. Express
2007, Bowlan, Opt. Express
2007, Vasnetsov, Opt. Lett.
2006, Bowlan, Opt. Express
2004, Horváth, Opt. Commun.
2002, Chauvat, Phys. Lett. A
2001, Horváth, Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys.
1997, Saari, Phys. Rev. Lett.
1957, Rubinowicz, Nature
1888, Maggi, Ann. di Mat

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