Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Optics Communications

Effects of source correlation on the spectrum of light

G. Michael Morris, Dean Faklis

Published Apr 1, 1987• 122 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Experiments that illustrate the influence of source correlations on the spectrum of light detected in the far field are reported. It is demonstrated that source correlations which violate the scaling law [E. Wolf, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 (1986) 1370] produce a normalized spectrum in the far field that is different from the normalized spectrum of the light at the source.

DOI
10.1016/0030-4018(87)90056-3

Related papers

Influence of source correlations on the spectrum of emitted light: a review

E. Wolf

There is an implicit assumption in all of spectroscopy that the relative energy distribution in the spectrum of radiation which propagates in free space is independent of the location of the observer, provided that the observer and the source are at rest relative to each other. That this assumption is not valid, in general, was suggested by the results of an investigation of Mandel111, carried out almost thirty years ago. Mandel showed that when light beams from two small correlated sources which have the same normalized spectra are superposed, the normalized spectrum in the region of superposition will differ, in general, from the normalized spectrum of each source. More recently it was predicted theoretically2 and confirmed experimentally soon therwards3 that the normalized spectrum of light produced by an extended source, will, in general, differ from the normalized source spectrum (assumed to be the same at every source point); and that it will depend on the location of the point of observation. The spectral changes were shown to depend on the correlation properties of the source.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Jul 1, 1990•0 citations

Spectral shifts produced by source correlations

Dean Faklis, G. Michael Morris

Statistical correlations of the light emitted by a partially coherent source can produce frequency shifts in the spectrum observed in the far field if the correlation function of the emitted radiation does not satisfy a certain scaling law. A Fourier achromat is used to generate a secondary source in which the degree of spectral coherence is independent of wavelength; i.e., it violates the scaling law. The spectrum detected in the far zone of the secondary source is, in general, found to be displaced in frequency and distorted relative to the spectrum measured at the secondary source. The displacement can be toward the higher frequencies or the lower frequencies depending on the direction of observation.

Optics Letters•Jan 1, 1988•91 citations

Effects of source correlation on the spectral shift of light waves on scattering

Tao Wang, Daomu Zhao

The far-zone scattered spectrum has been investigated for the scattering of two correlated sources from a deterministic medium. It is shown that red shift or blue shift can be produced in the far-zone scattered spectrum, and the spectral shift is influenced by the source correlation.

Optics Letters•Apr 26, 2013•13 citations

Reflection-induced source correlation in spontaneous emission

Karel E. Drabe, Gerard Cnossen, Douwe A. Wiersma +2 more

We present fluorescence spectra showing that the spontaneous-emission spectrum of a molecule in front of a mirror is not invariant on propagation. We also calculate the cross-spectral density of this light source and show that it does not obey Wolf's scaling law [Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 1370 (1986)].

Physical Review Letters•Sep 17, 1990•13 citations

Spectral invariance and scaling law for nonstationary optical fields

Chaoliang Ding, Matias Koivurova, Tero Setälä +2 more

We develop a scaling law for a class of statistically nonstationary scalar optical fields, which ensures spectral invariance on their propagation into the far zone of a planar source. The invariance involves the constraint that the normalized far-zone spectrum must be the same in every direction of observation, as well as equal to the normalized area-averaged source spectrum. Thus, it additionally represents an extension of the earlier work by Wolf on stationary fields [Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 1370 (1986)] that assumed the normalized source spectrum as independent of position. We present examples of both nonstationary and stationary fields that satisfy the scaling law and extended spectral invariance.

Physical Review A•Mar 9, 2020•8 citations

Correlation-induced spectral changes

E. Wolf, Daniel F. V. James

This paper presents a review of research, both theoretical and experimental, concerning the influence of coherence properties of fluctuating light sources and of correlation properties of scattering media on the spectra of radiated and scattered fields. Much of this research followed a discovery made in 1986, that the spectrum of light may change on propagation, even in free space. More than 100 papers on this topic have been published to date and many of them are reviewed, or at least mentioned, in this article. After an introduction and a summary of some of the main mathematical results relating to second-order coherence theory of statistically stationary optical fields, spectral changes that may take place on superposing fields produced by two partially correlated sources are discussed. Spectral effects in fields produced by two-dimensional secondary sources and by three-dimensional primary sources are then considered. The section which follows describes spectral changes that may arise when polychromatic light is scattered on media whose physical properties vary randomly either in space and/or in time. A review is also presented of recent research, which has revealed that under certain circumstances the changes in the spectrum of light scattered on random media may imitate the Doppler effect, even though the source, the medium and the observer are all at rest with respect to one another. In the final section a brief review is given of a new emerging technique sometimes called spatial-coherence spectroscopy. It is based on the discovery that it is possible, under certain circumstances, to determine field correlations from spectral measurements.

Reports on Progress in Physics•Jun 1, 1996•227 citations
Experiments that illustrate the influence of source correlations on the spectrum of light detected in the far field are reported. It is demonstrated that source correlations which violate the scaling law [E. Wolf, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56 (1986) 1370] produce a normalized spectrum in the far field that is different from the normalized spectrum of the light at the source.
There is an implicit assumption in all of spectroscopy that the relative energy distribution in the spectrum of radiation which propagates in free space is independent of the location of the observer, provided that the observer and the source are at rest relative to each other. That this assumption is not valid, in general, was suggested by the results of an investigation of Mandel111, carried out almost thirty years ago. Mandel showed that when light beams from two small correlated sources which have the same normalized spectra are superposed, the normalized spectrum in the region of superposition will differ, in general, from the normalized spectrum of each source. More recently it was predicted theoretically2 and confirmed experimentally soon therwards3 that the normalized spectrum of light produced by an extended source, will, in general, differ from the normalized source spectrum (assumed to be the same at every source point); and that it will depend on the location of the point of observation. The spectral changes were shown to depend on the correlation properties of the source.
Statistical correlations of the light emitted by a partially coherent source can produce frequency shifts in the spectrum observed in the far field if the correlation function of the emitted radiation does not satisfy a certain scaling law. A Fourier achromat is used to generate a secondary source in which the degree of spectral coherence is independent of wavelength; i.e., it violates the scaling law. The spectrum detected in the far zone of the secondary source is, in general, found to be displaced in frequency and distorted relative to the spectrum measured at the secondary source. The displacement can be toward the higher frequencies or the lower frequencies depending on the direction of observation.
We develop a scaling law for a class of statistically nonstationary scalar optical fields, which ensures spectral invariance on their propagation into the far zone of a planar source. The invariance involves the constraint that the normalized far-zone spectrum must be the same in every direction of observation, as well as equal to the normalized area-averaged source spectrum. Thus, it additionally represents an extension of the earlier work by Wolf on stationary fields [Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 1370 (1986)] that assumed the normalized source spectrum as independent of position. We present examples of both nonstationary and stationary fields that satisfy the scaling law and extended spectral invariance.
This paper presents a review of research, both theoretical and experimental, concerning the influence of coherence properties of fluctuating light sources and of correlation properties of scattering media on the spectra of radiated and scattered fields. Much of this research followed a discovery made in 1986, that the spectrum of light may change on propagation, even in free space. More than 100 papers on this topic have been published to date and many of them are reviewed, or at least mentioned, in this article. After an introduction and a summary of some of the main mathematical results relating to second-order coherence theory of statistically stationary optical fields, spectral changes that may take place on superposing fields produced by two partially correlated sources are discussed. Spectral effects in fields produced by two-dimensional secondary sources and by three-dimensional primary sources are then considered. The section which follows describes spectral changes that may arise when polychromatic light is scattered on media whose physical properties vary randomly either in space and/or in time. A review is also presented of recent research, which has revealed that under certain circumstances the changes in the spectrum of light scattered on random media may imitate the Doppler effect, even though the source, the medium and the observer are all at rest with respect to one another. In the final section a brief review is given of a new emerging technique sometimes called spatial-coherence spectroscopy. It is based on the discovery that it is possible, under certain circumstances, to determine field correlations from spectral measurements.