A new evaluation of the Goos–Hänchen shift and associated time delay

Abstract

A wave packet reflected totally at an interface between two media may undergo the Goos–Hänchen shift and associated time delay. Two different theoretical approaches have been presented so far to evaluate this phenomenon. One is the stationary‐phase method and the other is the conventional energy‐flux method. In this paper, a certain deficiency existing in the conventional energy‐flux method is pointed out and a new energy‐flux method is derived based on an accurate argument of the conservation of energy flux. The new energy‐flux method confirms the consistency of the predictions by the stationary‐phase method from the point of view of the conservation of energy.