Coherence in Young’s two-pinhole interference with random vector electric fields

Ari T Friberg
Center for Photonics Sciences, University of Eastern Finland (UEF) P O Box 111, FI- 80101 Joensuu, Finland

In memory of Professor Gallieno Denardo, ICTP Italy

Coherence of optical fields is normally associated with their ability to interfere. With scalar waves in Young’s two-beam interference, coherence is conventionally quantified in terms of the visibility of the intensity fringes on the observation screen. With vector electric fields, accounting for the state of polarization, the situation is fundamentally different and more involved. Electromagnetic (vector wave) coherence is considered as constituting the totality of correlations between all electric field components, parallel and orthogonal alike. We establish an expression for the degree of electromagnetic coherence paraxially in the far zone of Young’s interference experiment, when the fields at the pinholes are arbitrarily polarized and correlated. Several physical consequences of the formulation are discussed. © Anita Publications. All rights reserved.
Doi: 10.54955/AJP.35.1-3.2026.23-31
Keywords: Vector light, Interference, Stokes parameters, Degree of coherence, Far-field coherence.

Peer Review Information
Method: Single- anonymous; Screened for Plagiarism? Yes
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