Invariant propagation of uniform-intensity Schell-model fields

Abstract

Propagation of partially coherent uniform-intensity Schell-model fields in a uniform dielectric medium is considered. It is first established that the spatial frequencies contained in such a field are non-correlated. Then it is shown that the distribution of the complex degree of spatial coherence associated with any such field is propagation invariant. An experimental set-up consisting of a diffractive beam-shaping element, a rotating diffuser, an aperture and a lens is suggested for the generation of transversely confined approximations of a large class of propagation-invariant Schell-model fields.