Sources for random arrays with structured complex degree of coherence

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Classical Optics
• Coherence Theory

Background:

• Simultaneously controlling far-field spectral density and the complex degree of coherence (modulus and phase) of light beams is challenging.
• Intrinsic constraints of the source's cross-spectral density limit independent manipulation of these optical beam properties.
• Traditional methods often rely on Gaussian modes, which have inherent limitations in achieving simultaneous control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the limitations in simultaneously controlling spectral density and coherence properties of optical beams.
• To explore the use of Laguerre-Gaussian modes for generating structured light with tailored far-field characteristics.
• To investigate the impact of source coherence structuring on the resulting spectral density arrays.

Main Methods:

• Employed Laguerre-Gaussian modes for source field realizations, departing from conventional Gaussian modes.
• Structured the degree of source coherence to generate specific spectral density arrays.
• Analyzed the modulus and phase of the complex degree of coherence in the far-field.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated simultaneous control over spectral density distribution and the complex degree of coherence.
• Generated spectral density arrays exhibiting Cartesian and polar symmetries.
• Observed unique features in both the modulus and phase of the complex degree of coherence for the generated arrays.

Conclusions:

• Laguerre-Gaussian modes offer a viable alternative to Gaussian modes for advanced control of optical beam properties.
• Structuring source coherence provides a powerful method for engineering far-field spectral density arrays with desired coherence characteristics.
• The findings enable novel applications in optical manipulation, imaging, and communication systems requiring precise control over light fields.