Spectral properties of partially coherent azimuthally polarized beam in a turbulent atmosphere

In this paper, based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel integral formula, the analytical expression for the beam coherence-polarization (BCP) matrix of the partially coherent azimuthally polarized (PCAP) beams propagating in turbulent atmosphere has been derived. The distribution of the spectral density, the spectral degree of polarization, the spectral degree of coherence and the spectral degree of cross-polarization of the PCAP beams propagating in turbulent atmosphere with different coherences in the source are investigated in detail. It is shown by numerical results and analysis that the distribution of the spectral properties of the PCAP beam will change on propagation in a turbulent atmosphere, and this change is dependent upon the degree of coherence of the source beam and atmospheric turbulence. It is also shown that even through the source beam is chosen as delta(gxx) not equal delta(gyy) the distribution of the spectral density, the spectral degree of polarization, the spectral degree of coherence and the spectral degree of cross-polarization in the far field tends to symmetrical profile. (C) 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.