Apparent transfer function for partially coherent optical information processing

Abstract

In this paper, the general formulations of the apparent transfer function for the partially coherent optical processor will be derived. Although these formulas show that the apparent transfer function is dependent upon the degree of spatial and temporal coherence, there is actually more variability in the spatial coherence. We note that the obtained formulas may also be used as a criterion in the selection of source size and spectral bandwidth of an incoherent light source. Thus a specific optical information processing operation can be carried out with an incoherent source.