Changes in the statistical properties of electromagnetic double multi-Gaussian Schell-model beams on propagation in free space

Abstract

A class of electromagnetic random sources with a multi-Gaussian functional form in the spectral density and in the correlations part of the cross-spectral density matrix is introduced based on the genuine cross-spectral density-matrix theory. The analytic propagation formulas of the cross-spectral density matrix of such beams propagating in free space are derived by use of Collins’ diffraction integral. With the help of analytic formulas, the evolution of statistical characteristics, i.e., the spectral density, the spectral degree of polarization, and the spectral degree of coherence for such beams in free space are analyzed numerically. Employing the multi-Gaussian functional form in the cross-spectral density matrix introduces one more freedom in the modeling of Gaussian Schell-model sources.