Laboratory implementation of partially coherent beams with super-Gaussian distribution

We conduct an initial experimental study of implementing partially coherent beams with super-Gaussian far-field intensity distributions with the help of a reflection-type spatial light modulator. Using a recently proposed random screen approach for any Schell model type of beam, various super-Gaussian far-field intensity patterns are generated, although with an expected diffraction limited core (bright spot) in the center of each pattern. It is demonstrated that the experimental results agree well with the theoretical predictions. Our work is beneficial for creating and implementing exotic beams in various applications and can be useful for improving link performance in free-space optical communications.

[1]  J. Walkup,et al.  Statistical optics , 1986, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics.

[2]  O. Korotkova,et al.  Electromagnetic non-uniformly correlated beams in turbulent atmosphere. , 2012, Optics express.

[3]  Olga Korotkova,et al.  Experimental generation of cosine-Gaussian-correlated Schell-model beams with rectangular symmetry. , 2014, Optics letters.

[4]  Gustavo Rodríguez-Zurita,et al.  Experimental generating the partially coherent and partially polarized electromagnetic source. , 2010, Optics express.

[5]  Toni Saastamoinen,et al.  Propagation characteristics of partially coherent beams with spatially varying correlations. , 2011, Optics letters.

[6]  Study of the correspondence between flat-topped multi-Gaussian beams and super-Gaussian beams , 2002 .

[7]  M. Plonus,et al.  Optical beam propagation for a partially coherent source in the turbulent atmosphere , 1979 .

[8]  Hua Tang,et al.  Average spreading of a linear Gaussian–Schell model beam array in non-Kolmogorov turbulence , 2011 .

[9]  J. Ricklin,et al.  Atmospheric turbulence effects on a partially coherent Gaussian beam: implications for free-space laser communication. , 2002, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[10]  Yangjian Cai,et al.  Experimental generation of a partially coherent Laguerre–Gaussian beam , 2012 .

[11]  H. Lajunen,et al.  Non-uniformly correlated partially coherent pulses. , 2013, Optics express.

[12]  Riccardo Borghi,et al.  Correspondence between super-Gaussian and flattened Gaussian beams , 1999 .

[13]  A. Friberg,et al.  Gaussian Schell-model beams generated with synthetic acousto-optic holograms , 1992 .

[14]  W. Marsden.  I and J , 2012 .

[15]  Yangjian Cai,et al.  Experimental generation of partially coherent beams with different complex degrees of coherence. , 2013, Optics letters.

[16]  L. Mandel,et al.  Optical Coherence and Quantum Optics , 1995 .

[17]  Olga Korotkova,et al.  Realizability conditions for electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model sources , 2005 .