Abstract

The change of coherence and polarization of an electromagnetic beam modulated by a random anisotropic phase screen passing through any optical system is found within the framework of complex $ABCD$-matrix theory This means that the formalism can treat imaging and Fourier transform and free-space optical systems, as well as fractional Fourier transform systems, with finite-size limiting apertures of Gaussian transmission shape. Thus, the current paper shall be considered as a continuation, extension, and generalization of a previous work by Shirai and Wolf [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21, 1907 (2004) ]. It will be shown that the inclusion of apertures in the optical system strongly influences not only the propagation of spatial coherence but also the degree of polarization of a propagating field. Analytical expressions of coherence and polarization propagation will be given in terms of the matrix elements for any complex optical system.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

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