Third- and fourth-order parametric characterization of partially coherent beams propagating throughABCDoptical systems

摘要

Within the formalism of the Wigner distribution function, third- and fourth-order measurable beam parameters are proposed and their physical meaning is investigated. The general propagation law of such characteristic quantities inABCDoptical systems is derived and a number of paramters are shown to be invariant under propagation inABCDdevices.