Credits: 3 (3-0-0)
Description
Review of probability and random variables. Probability and Statistics in Optics. Stochastic processes to represent optical fields. Ergodicity and stationarity, Auto-correlation, cross-correlation, and Wiener-Khinchin theorem, Gaussian and Poisson random processes. First-order properties of optical fields: Radiation from sources of any state of coherence. Monochromatic, polychromatic and broad light sources. Polarized, partially polarized and unpolarized thermal light and pseudo-thermal light. Second-order coherence theory in space-time domain: Temporal coherence and complex degree of self coherence. Spatial coherence and complex degree of mutual coherence, Cross-spectral density, propagation of mutual coherence, The Van Cittert-Zernike theorem and it’s application to stellar interferometry. Higher-order coherence theory: Hanbury-Brown and Twiss experiment, Intensity-intensity correlation and Ghost imaging. Second order coherence theory in space-frequency domain: Concept of cross-spectral density, spectral degree of coherence, Wiener-Khintchin theorem, Electromagnetic coherence, Degree of polarization and applications. Applications of second-order coherence theory: Optical coherence tomography, stellar interferometry, Laser speckle and speckle metrology, Fourier transform spectroscopy, Partial coherence in imaging systems, Propagation through random inhomogeneous media.