Changes in the polarization, the coherence and the spectrum of partially coherent electromagnetic Hermite–Gaussian beams in turbulence

Abstract

The unified theory of coherence and polarization is applied to an investigation of the changes in the polarization, the coherence and the spectrum of partially coherent electromagnetic Hermite–Gaussian (EHG) beams propagating through atmospheric turbulence. Based on the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle, the 2×2 electric cross-spectral density matrix of partially coherent EHG beams in turbulence is expressed analytically by using a quadratic approximation of Rytov's phase structure function. The analytical expressions for the degree of polarization, the degree of coherence and the spectrum of partially coherent EHG beams in turbulence are derived, and the corresponding analytical results of electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) beams can be obtained when the order number of the Hermite polynomial is zero. Some interesting results are obtained, which are illustrated by using numerical examples.