Abstract

Some general theorems are derived about spatial coherence properties of a two-dimensional statistically homogeneous source that gives rise to any prescribed angular distribution of radiant intensity. The results are applied to sources that radiate in accordance with Lambert’s law. It is found that lambertian sources cannot be spatially strictly incoherent and that they have, in fact, certain unique coherence properties. This result is illustrated by calculations for a blackbody source. The idealized case of a spatially completely incoherent source is discussed for comparison.

© 1975 Optical Society of America

One-dimensional Lambertian sources and the associated coherent-mode representation

Alexander Starikov and Ad T. Friberg
Appl. Opt. 23(23) 4261-4268 (1984)

Radiometry with sources of any state of coherence*

E. W. Marchand and E. Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 64(9) 1219-1226 (1974)

The radiant intensity from planar sources of any state of coherence

E. Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 68(11) 1597-1605 (1978)

Coherence matrices of light beams at dielectric interfaces and Goos–Hänchen effect

G. S. Agarwal
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 65(12) 1475-1478 (1975)

Coherence and radiometry with quasihomogeneous planar sources*

W. H. Carter and E. Wolf
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(6) 785-796 (1977)