Polarization-dependent Goos–Hänchen shift at a graded dielectric interface

We examine the polarization differential Goos–Hänchen beam shift upon total internal reflection, for a graded-index dielectric interface. We find a generic scaling law where the magnitude of this shift depends solely on the product of wavelength and gradient steepness. The analytic results are extended using transmission matrix calculations in cases where the assumptions made to allow analytical treatment might become questionable. Two important cases in this category are: (i) incident angle close to the critical angle and (ii) gradients with an overall thickness of the order of a wavelength. We demonstrate this effect experimentally using a polymer-blend sample with a gradual refractive-index transition induced by diffusion.