Measurement of two-point coherence functions of electromagnetic optical fields and applications of optical coherence

Abstract

For stationary light fields, manifestation of statistical properties such as coherence and polarization are attributed to the same physical phenomena, i.e. correlations in fluctuations of optical fields. In order to explain various properties associated with electromagnetic optical fields, both coherence and polarization need to be placed at same footings. This leads to two-point (space or time) generalization of single-point properties such as Stokes parameters and elements of coherency matrix. This paper reviews the basic aspects concerning vectorial optical fields and experimental methods developed during last couple of decades for the measurement of two-point correlation functions of electromagnetic optical fields in spatial and temporal domain. Studies related to coherence properties of optical fields have led to several important technological applications during last seven decades, which are also discussed briefly in this review.