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Geodesic optics via path integral formalism. A modified principle of minimum time

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Il Nuovo Cimento B (1971-1996)

Summary

The optical propagator for the Helmholtz equation in geodesic optics is given by the Fourier transform of a path integral in curve spaces. Here we try to express it directly by a path integral in a Riemann space. This optical propagator is obtained as a Lagrangian path integral which let us infer a modified principle of minimum time for geodesic components, that is an effective refractive index is obtained as the usual refractive index plus a correction of order *2.

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Author notes

  1. P. Moretti

    Present address: Istituto di Ricerca sulle Onde Elettromagnetiche, Via Pianciatichi 64, CNR, 50127, Firenze, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Optica, Departmento de Fisica Aplicada Facultade de Fisica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain

    J. Liñares & P. Moretti

Authors
  1. J. Liñares
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  2. P. Moretti
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Liñares, J., Moretti, P. Geodesic optics via path integral formalism. A modified principle of minimum time. Nuov Cim B 105, 419–428 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728823

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728823

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