Spatial and temporal coherence via polarization mutual coherence function

Abstract

We address polarization coherence in terms of correlations of Stokes variables. We develop an scalar polarization mutual coherence function that allows us to define a polarization coherence time. We find a suitable spectral polarization density allowing a polarization version of the Wiener-Khintchine theorem. With these tools we also address the polarization version of the van Cittert-Zernike theorem.