Mode analysis of spreading of partially coherent beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence

    Authors

    T. Shirai; A. Dogariu;E. Wolf

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Opt. Soc. Am. A-Opt. Image Sci. Vis.

    Keywords

    REPRESENTATION; MEDIA; Optics

    Abstract

    The spreading of partially coherent beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence is studied by use of the coherent-mode representation of the beams. Specifically, we consider partially coherent Gaussian Schell-model beams entering the atmosphere, and we examine the spreading of each coherent mode, represented by a Hermite-Gaussian function, on propagation. We find that in atmospheric turbulence the relative spreading of higher-order modes is smaller than that of lower-order modes, whereas the relative spreading of all order modes is the same as in free space. This modal behavior successfully explains why under certain circumstances partially coherent beams are less affected by atmospheric turbulence than are fully spatially coherent laser beams. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.

    Journal Title

    Journal of the Optical Society of America a-Optics Image Science and Vision

    Volume

    20

    Issue/Number

    6

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article; Proceedings Paper

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1094

    Last Page

    1102

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000183131500014

    ISSN

    0740-3232

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