Abstract

Recently, a general approach to optical information processing with Gaussian Schell model light was published.¹ As a first use of this theory, the problem of self-consistency or resonance in 1-D ABCD systems is considered. If the system is real, the well-known extended ABCD approach² easily generalizes the classical fully coherent result 0≤|A + D|≤2. However, if the ABCD system contains losses, generalization is not so simple. In this case the resonator condition exhibits a more interesting structure, showing the greater complexity of partially coherent lossy systems. In addition, a simple physical decomposition of an arbitrary lossy 1-D ABCD system is also derived.

© 1991 Optical Society of America