Concerning the Investigation of the Statistical Properties of Incoherent Light

Arne Skov Jensen

G. Gräff, Lajos Jánossy

Leng Feng, Zhu Shi-Qun

The statistical properties of a homogeneously broadened ring laser with an injected signal are investigated and the normalized two-mode intensity auto- and cross-correlation functions are calculated by a full saturation laser theory with backscattering. The theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. Further investigation reveals that the backscattering can reduce the fluctuations in the system while the full saturation effect plays a major role when the laser is operated above threshold. It is also quite important to notice that the injected signal can drive the weak mode from incoherent light to coherent light.

A review is presented of various investigations on coherence and fluctuations of light which have been carried out within the last few years. In particular some of the research carried out at the University of Rochester and related investigations undertaken elsewhere are described. This research is mainly concerned with the following topics: classical and quantum description of higher order coherence effects, photon correlation and coincidence experiments, stellar correlation interferometry, photon bunching, and the determination of the statistical properties of light from photoelectric counting experiments.

Eiichi Hanamura, Yutaka Kawabe, Akio Yamanaka

Jan Peřina