Optical eigenmode description of partially coherent light fields
Abstract
Optical eigenmodes describe coherent solutions of Maxwells equations that are orthogonal to each other. These modes form a natural basis set of the electromagnetic Hilbert space that can be used to describe optical scattering interactions in a simple way. Many of the properties defined in quantum mechanics can formally be found in the optical eigenmodes framework. For example, the Hilbert spaces defined by two different scattering operators are separable only if the two operators commute with each other. Here, we expand the optical eigenmode framework to partially coherent light fields. In this case, we remark that the eigenmode decomposition of partially coherent fields leads to a formalism similar to the density matrix formalism used in quantum mechanics.
Citation
Mazilu , M 2019 , Optical eigenmode description of partially coherent light fields . in J Glückstad , D L Andrews & E J Galvez (eds) , Complex Light and Optical Forces XIII . Proceedings of SPIE , vol. 10935 , Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers , Complex Light and Optical Forces XIII (SPIE OPTO) , San Francisco , California , United States , 2/02/19 . https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2507901 conference
Publication
Complex Light and Optical Forces XIII
ISSN
0277-786XType
Conference item
Rights
© 2019, SPIE. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher's policies. This is the final published version of the work, which was originally published at https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2507901
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