Physical realization of Schell‐model sources using a fast steering mirror

A simple optical system is built to quickly realize partially coherent sources for directed energy applications. The apparatus implements a recently developed technique in which any uniformly correlated or Schell-model source can be generated by summing many statistically independent randomly tilted beams. This result means that only a tip-tilt or fast steering mirror (FSM) is needed to realize Schell-model sources, which in contrast to existing synthesis techniques, is both fast and flexible. A brief review of the theory necessary to understand and implement the tilt-only synthesis technique is presented. The FSM apparatus is then described. Lastly, experimental results of a Schell-model source are compared with theoretical predictions to validate both the synthesis technique and FSM apparatus.