Title:	Observation of topological phase by use of a laser interferometer.
Authors:	Bhandari, R. Samuel, J.
Issue Date:	28-Mar-1988
Publisher:	The American Physical Society
Citation:	Physical Review Letters, 1988, Vol.60, p1211-1213
Abstract:	We report a direct experimental observation of Pancharatnam’s phase, which is closely related to Berry’s topological phase. The experiment involves measurement of the phase change in one beam of a laser interferometer as the polarization state of light is taken along a closed circuit on the Poincaré sphere. The phase change is found to be equal to half the solid angle subtended by the circuit at the center of the Poincaré sphere. Apart from providing a striking demonstration of the topological phase, the experiment demonstrates that unitary time evolution of a system is not essential for the appearance of the topological phase.
Description:	Open Access. Reprinted in Selected papers on interference, interferometry and interferometric metrology. Ed. P Hariharan & D Malacara. Vol. MS110 in Milestones in Optics. SPIE, 1995
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/2289/1272
ISSN:	0031-9007 (print)
Alternative Location:	http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v60/p1211
Copyright:	(1988) by the American Physical Society
Appears in Collections:	Research Papers (A&A) Research Papers (TP)

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