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1997•Optics LettersRequires access

Decrease in spatial coherence of light propagating in free space

Anthony J. Devaney, Ari T. Friberg, Anand T. N. Kumar, Emil Wolf

Open publisher page 8 citations

Abstract

It is shown that a highly spatially incoherent light distribution may be generated from a highly coherent one on propagation in free space. This result essentially demonstrates that there exists an inverse of a classic result of optical coherence theory, namely, the van Cittert-Zernike theorem. The analysis also indicates that the technique of phase conjugation may be used to reverse changes in the coherence properties of light, at least those which are generated on propagation in free space.

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What this paper is about

It is shown that a highly spatially incoherent light distribution may be generated from a highly coherent one on propagation in free space. This result essentially demonstrates that there exists an inverse of a classic result of optical coherence theory, namely, the van Cittert-Zernike theorem. The analysis also indicates that the technique of phase conjugation may be used to reverse changes in the coherence properties of light, at least those which are generated on propagation in free space.

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OpenAlex reports 8 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

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Available abstract

It is shown that a highly spatially incoherent light distribution may be generated from a highly coherent one on propagation in free space. This result essentially demonstrates that there exists an inverse of a classic result of optical coherence theory, namely, the van Cittert-Zernike theorem. The analysis also indicates that the technique of phase conjugation may be used to reverse changes in the coherence properties of light, at least those which are generated on propagation in free space.

Key concepts: Coherence theory, Coherence (philosophical gambling strategy), Optics, Free space, Spatial coherence, Physics, Coherence time, Degree of coherence

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