Cross spectral density propagation through optical systems

(Received 25 February 1991, accepted 31 May 1991)

Abstract
Huygens Fresnel principle as generalized to include diffraction by optical systems that can be characterized by an ABCD ray-transfer matrix is used to describe propagation of coherent modes representing cross spectral densities in Wolf's new theory of partial coherence. A mathematical method we introduced in a previous paper for the free space propagation of circularly symmetric cross spectral densities is modified to include propagation through axisymmetric optical systems.