Abstract

The degree of coherence of scalar light remains constant when the fields are modified by the same random linear transformation, which can be represented by the multiplication by a random complex number. This shows that the coherence properties of scalar light at order two are not modified with the increase of disorder of each field that results from these transformations. We analyze the generalization of this property to partially polarized light. We determine the class of fields that can possess this property for any couple of points in a space-frequency or space-time domain after modification with deterministic Jones transformations. We show that the second-order coherence properties of this class of light can be generated experimentally with two uncorrelated totally polarized sources that have the same scalar coherence properties.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

Analysis of coherence properties of partially polarized light in 3D and application to disordered media

Ph. Réfrégier, V. Wasik, K. Vynck, and R. Carminati
Opt. Lett. 39(8) 2362-2365 (2014)

Irreversible effects of random modulation on coherence properties of partially polarized light

Philippe Réfrégier
Opt. Lett. 33(7) 636-638 (2008)

Shannon entropy of partially polarized and partially coherent light with Gaussian fluctuations

Philippe Réfrégier and Jérôme Morio
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 23(12) 3036-3044 (2006)

Invariant degrees of coherence of partially polarized light

Philippe Réfrégier and François Goudail
Opt. Express 13(16) 6051-6060 (2005)

Mutual information-based degrees of coherence of partially polarized light with Gaussian fluctuations

Philippe Réfrégier
Opt. Lett. 30(23) 3117-3119 (2005)