State of polarization and propagation factor of a stochastic electromagnetic beam in a gradient-index fiber

Focusing of partially coherent light by a graded-index lens

We use coherence theory to study how the focusing of an optical beam by a graded-index (GRIN) lens is affected when the incoming beam is only partially coherent. The Gaussian-Schell model is used to show that the intensity of a partially coherent beam exhibits self-imaging and evolves in a periodic fashion in a GRIN medium with a parabolic index profile. Spatial coherence of the beam affects a single parameter that governs how much the beam is compressed at the focal point. Our results show that the focal spot size depends on the fraction of the beam's diameter over which coherence persists. Focusing ceases to occur, and the beam may even expand at the focal point of a GRIN lens, when this fraction is below 10%.

Transmission of a polychromatic electromagnetic multi-Gaussian Schell-model beam in an inhomogeneous gradient-index fiber

We derive analytical expressions for the cross-spectral density matrix of polychromatic electromagnetic multi-Gaussian Schell-model (EMGSM) beam transmission through a gradient-index fiber. The space-spectrum evolution properties for the spectral density, spectral shift, degree of polarization, and electromagnetic coherence state of a polychromatic EMGSM beam with Lorentzian line type spectrum and central wavelength λ₀=1550  nm propagation in a silica-clad germania core inhomogeneous graded-index fiber are studied in detail. We show that these statistical properties exhibit periodicity in the fiber, caused by the focusing property of square-law media, which can be reminiscent of the self-imaging effect of optical fields. The effects of the nonconventional correlation functions of the polychromatic EMGSM beam on the transmission properties are also investigated.

Orbital angular moment of an electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam with a twist phase

We derive the analytical formula for the orbital angular momentum (OAM) flux of a stochastic electromagnetic beam carrying twist phase [i.e., twisted electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (TEGSM) beam] in the source plane with the help of the Wigner distribution function. Furthermore, we derive the general expression of the OAM flux of a TEGSM beam on propagation with the help of a tensor method. As numerical examples, we explore the evolution properties of the OAM flux of a TEGSM beam propagating through a cylindrical thin lens or a uniaxial crystal. It is found that the OAM flux of a TEGSM beam closely depends on its twist factors and degree of polarization in the source plane, and one can modulate the OAM flux of a TEGSM beam by a cylindrical thin lens or a uniaxial crystal. Our results may be useful in some applications, such as particle manipulation and free-space optical communications, where light beam with OAM is preferred.

Generation and propagation of an electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model vortex beam

We outline the propagation of an electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) vortex beam through a paraxial ABCD optical system and analyze the vortex phase-induced changes of the statistical properties, such as average intensity, state of polarization, and degree of polarization (DOP), of a focused EGSM beam. It is found that one can shape the beam profile of an EGSM vortex beam in the focal plane through varying its initial topological charge, DOP, and coherence widths. Furthermore, we first report experimental generation of an EGSM vortex beam and measure its focusing properties in experiments. Our experimental results are consistent with the numerical results and may be useful in material thermal processing and particle trapping.

Twist phase-induced changes of the statistical properties of a stochastic electromagnetic beam propagating in a uniaxial crystal

With the help of a tensor method, an analytical formula is derived for the cross-spectral density matrix of a twisted electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) beam (i.e., EGSM beam with twist phase) propagating in a uniaxial crystal orthogonal to the optical axis. The twist phase-induced changes of the statistical properties, such as the spectral density, the degree of polarization and the degree of coherence, of an EGSM beam propagating in a uniaxial crystal are illustrated numerically. It is found that the distributions of the spectral density, the degree of polarization and the degree of coherence of a twisted EGSM beam in a uniaxial crystal all exhibit non-circular symmetries, which are quite different from those of a twisted EGSM beam in isotropic medium or in free space. One may use uniaxial crystal to determine whether an EGSM beam carries twist phase or not.

Twisted Gaussian Schell-model beams as series of partially coherent modified Bessel-Gauss beams

We show that twisted Gaussian Schell-model (TGSM) beams can be represented through an incoherent superposition of partially coherent beams carrying optical vortices and whose cross-spectral densities are expressed in terms of modified Bessel functions. Moreover, starting from this result, we show that the modal expansion of the cross-spectral density of a TGSM source can be directly obtained through simple mathematics.

Self-imaging of partially coherent light in graded-index media

We demonstrate that partially coherent light beams of arbitrary intensity and spectral degree of coherence profiles can self-image in linear graded-index media. The results can be applicable to imaging with noisy spatial or temporal light sources.

Second-order moments of an electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam in a uniaxial crystal

We derive the analytical expressions for the second-order moments of an electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) beam propagating in a uniaxial crystal. With the help of the derived formulas, we study the evolution properties of the propagation factor, the effective radius of curvature and the Rayleigh range of an EGSM beam in a uniaxial crystal. It is found that the evolution properties of an EGSM beam in a uniaxial crystal are much different from its evolution properties in free space and are closely determined by the initial beam parameters and the parameters of the uniaxial crystal. The uniaxial crystal provides one way for modulating the properties of an EGSM beam.