Statistical Properties And Control Of Partially Coherent Light Based On A Wavefront-folding Interferometer

Wavefront-folding interferometer is a Michelson-type interferometer mainly used for the measurement of the spatial correlation properties of light fields.Recently,researchers found that the wavefront-folding interferometer can generate partially coherent fields with specularity or anti-specularity.As a method of modulating light fields,the adjustment of the degree of coherence has been achieved by using a wavefront-folding interferometer.So far,this technique mainly focuses on the modulation of scalar Gaussian-Schell model beams.Therefore,it has certain theoretical significance and application value to further discuss the adjustment of other partially coherent light fields by the wavefront-folding interferometer and consider the incident beams in the vector case.On the other hand,statistical similarity is recently used to signify the physical significance of complete coherence and complete polarization,which reveals the great similarity between coherence and polarization.Thus,discussion of the relationship between the statistical similarity and cross-polarization may help further understand the relationship between the coherence and the polarization of light.In this dissertation,we focus on the modulation of partially coherent fields by using a wavefront-folding interferometer,including the optical coherence lattices,the radiation forces exerted on a Rayleigh particle,and the polarization properties of a stochastic electromagnetic beam.Meanwhile,we discuss the polarization properties of linearly polarized parabolic scaling Bessel beams,the coherence and polarization properties of statistically similar light in Young's interference experiment,as well as the propagation properties of a stochastic electromagnetic vortex beam in left-and right-handed materials.The dissertation is arranged in six chapters.Chapter 1 introduces the background and the status of the theory of optical coherence and optical micromanipulation.In addition,we introduce the methods and theories used in our work:the optical coherence in the space-time and space-frequency domains;specular cross-spectral density function;unified theory of coherence and polarization;ray transfer matrix and generalized diffraction integral;radiation forces in the Rayleigh scattering regime.Chapter 2 investigates the coherence and polarization properties of statistically similar fields in Young's interference experiment.We consider a case that the fluctuating fields at the pinholes are statistically similar at a frequency.Under this condition,we analyze the relationship between the spectral degree of polarization and the spectral degree of cross-polarization at the pinholes and that in the observation plane.The coherence between a pair of points on the plane of observation is also studied.In the end,we derive a condition that ensures complete spatial coherence of the light at the pinholes in the space-time domain.Chapter 3 studies the modulation of partially coherent light by using a wavefront-folding interferometer.We first consider the intensity distribution of an optical coherence lattice modulated by a wavefront-folding interferometer,and discuss the influence of the phase difference introduced by the interferometer and the weight distribution parameter of the source on the far-field intensity.Then,we consider the interferometer illuminated by a Gaussian-Schell model beam,and analyze the radiation forces acting on a Rayleigh particle by the output field which is focused by a lens.Finally,we consider a stochastic electromagnetic beam incident on the interferometer and discuss the specularity and anti-specularity in the vector case.Take electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam as an example,we focus on the effects of the phase difference of the interferometer and the phase retardation introduced by the prism on the polarization properties.Chapter 4 investigates the propagation properties of partially coherent electromagnetic vortex beams in right-and left-handed layers.Numerical results show the influence of the interface between the right-and left-handed layers on the spectral density,the spectral degree of coherence,and the spectral degree of polarization.By varying the parameters of the source and the layers,we discuss the condition of generating on-axis dark channels.In Chapter 5,based on the Maxwell's equations and paraxial wave equation,we investigate the intensity profiles for the dominant polarization,cross polarization,and longitudinal components of modified parabolic scaling Bessel beams with linear polarization.Numerical simulation demonstrates the relationship between the intensity distribution of the three components and the topological charge.Chapter 6 gives the main conclusions and innovations of this thesis.Besides,the future plans are also given.