Abstract

In Part I of this investigation [ E. Wolf, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 72. 343 ( 1982)] new representations were introduced for the cross-spectral density of a steady-state source of any state of coherence. The central concept in that formulation was the notion of a coherent source mode (a natural mode of oscillation). In the present paper the theory is developed further and new representations are obtained for the cross-spectral densities of all orders, both of the source and of the field that the source generates. These representations involve only the previously introduced coherent source modes and the moments of certain random coefficients that characterize the statistical properties of the source. The results provide a new mathematical framework for analyzing coherence properties of all orders of stationary sources and of stationary fields. Some potential applications of the theory are mentioned.

© 1986 Optical Society of America

New theory of partial coherence in the space–frequency domain. Part I: spectra and cross spectra of steady-state sources

Emil Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 72(3) 343-351 (1982)

Theory of partially coherent electromagnetic fields in the space–frequency domain

Jani Tervo, Tero Setälä, and Ari T. Friberg
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21(11) 2205-2215 (2004)

Coherent-mode propagation in spatially band-limited wave fields

Emil Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 3(11) 1920-1924 (1986)

Application of Wolf’s theory of coherence

Colin Pask
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 3(7) 1097-1100 (1986)

Propagation of fields with axially symmetric cross-spectral densities

F. Bloisi and L. Vicari
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 8(7) 1106-1108 (1991)