Method for determining the spatial correlation width of a Gaussian-Schell beam to optimize the scintillation index over long horizontal turbulent paths

Kyle R. Drexler; Michael C. Roggemann

doi:10.1117/1.OE.51.2.028002

7 March 2012 Method for determining the spatial correlation width of a Gaussian-Schell beam to optimize the scintillation index over long horizontal turbulent paths

Kyle R. Drexler, Michael C. Roggemann

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 51, Issue 2, 028002 (March 2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.51.2.028002

Abstract

We describe a method for controlling the spatial correlation width of a propagating Gaussian-Schell model (GSM) beam in an unknown turbulent atmosphere to optimize the scintillation index (SI). In our approach we slowly change a simulated GSM beam from incoherent to coherent by controlling the coherence through the spatial correlation width. The goal is to use statistics to determine the point just before a GSM beam becomes too coherent and starts to exhibit the statistics of a fully coherent source. We define this value of the spatial correlation width as the upper-coherence limit. We show that there is a straightforward method of calculating the upper-coherence limit in a closed channel regardless of turbulence strength or aperture size.

Citation Download Citation

Kyle R. Drexler and Michael C. Roggemann "Method for determining the spatial correlation width of a Gaussian-Schell beam to optimize the scintillation index over long horizontal turbulent paths," Optical Engineering 51(2), 028002 (7 March 2012). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.51.2.028002

Published: 7 March 2012

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available