Random Light Beams

Theory and Applications

Olga Korotkova

• Verlag: CRC Press
• Jahr: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781351833875
• Auflage: 1
• Thema: Physical Sciences
• Thema: Optics & Light

Random Light Beams: Theory and Applications contemplates the potential in harnessing random light. This book discusses light matter interactions, and concentrates on the various phenomena associated with beam-like fields. It explores natural and man-made light fields and gives an overview of recently introduced families of random light beams. It outlines mathematical tools for analysis, suggests schemes for realization, and discusses possible applications.

The book introduces the essential concepts needed for a deeper understanding of the subject, discusses various classes of deterministic paraxial beams and examines random scalar beams. It highlights electromagnetic random beams and matters relating to generation, propagation in free space and various media, and discusses transmission through optical systems. It includes applications that benefit from the use of random beams, as well as the interaction of beams with deterministic optical systems.

• Includes detailed mathematical description of different model sources and beams

• Explores a wide range of man-made and natural media for beam interaction

• Contains more than 100 illustrations on beam behavior

• Offers information that is based on the scientific results of the last several years

• Points to general methods for dealing with random beams, on the basis of which the readers can do independent research

It gives examples of light propagation through the human eye, laser resonators, and negative phase materials. It discusses in detail propagation of random beams in random media, the scattering of random beams from collections of scatterers and thin random layers as well as the possible uses for these beams in imaging, tomography, and smart illumination.

1

Introduction

CONTENTS

1.1 Brief history

1.2 Preliminary mathematics

1.2.1 Random processes

1.2.2 Spectral representation of random processes

1.2.3 Analytic representation of complex signals

1.2.4 Gaussian random processes

1.3 Preliminary optics

1.3.1 Maxwell’s, wave and Helmholtz equations

1.3.2 Angular spectrum representation and beam conditions

1.3.3 Exact beams

1.3.3.1 Plane waves and cosine beams

1.3.3.2 Bessel beams

1.3.3.3 Mathieu beams

1.3.3.4 Parabolic beams

1.3.4 Vectorial nature of optical fields: polarization

1.3.4.1 Polarization ellipse

1.3.4.2 Jones calculus

1.3.4.3 Stokes vectors

1.3.5 Spatial interference in light fields

1.1 Brief history

Stochastic (random) light fields have been studied by scientists at least from the time of Sir Isaac Newton. It was observed first by an unaided eye then with the help of optical devices that natural light scattered from rough surfaces, such as the sea surface, can form random intensity patterns, sometimes of various colors. Such patterns were named “speckles”. Speckles formed by natural light are still of interest for science and art.

It later became known that speckle introduces deleterious effects for imaging systems operating in the presence of random media, such as atmospheric turbulence, for instance. In particular, the atmosphere introduces limitation to the quality of telescopic images of celestial objects. It was first realized by D. Fried how postprocessing t...