Microscopic Origin of Spatial Coherence and Wolf Shifts

Abstract

We show that the vacuum of electromagnetic field has intrinsic partial spatial coherence in frequency domain which effectively extends over regions of the order of wavelength $\lambda$. This spatial coherence leads to a dynamical coupling between atoms and is the cause of source correlations and Wolf shifts. We show how the source spatial correlations can lead to tailor made coherent emissions. We discuss the universality of source correlation effects and presents several application.