S. M. Arakelyan, A. G. Arutyunyan, S. A. Akhmanov, V. G. Tunkin, A. S. Chirkin, “Maximum coherence of TEM<sub>00</sub> modes of continuous laser radiation”, Kvantovaya Elektronika, 1974, Volume 1, Number 1,Pages <nobr>215

Brief Communications

Maximum coherence of TEM₀₀ modes of continuous laser radiation

S. M. Arakelyan, A. G. Arutyunyan, S. A. Akhmanov, V. G. Tunkin, A. S. Chirkin

Abstract: The spatial (transverse) correlation function γ(s) of the field produced by a commercial cw helum–neon laser (λ = 0.633 μ) was determined with a polarizing interferometer. A high value of γ(s), decreasing toward the edge of the beam, was obtained; at 0.001 of the maximum intensity this value was γ = 0.998. The error in these measurements did not exceed 0.1%. The experimental results were analyzed using a model of superposition of completely coherent radiation on noise δ-correlated in space. The signal/noise ratio at the center of the investigated laser beam exceeded 10⁵.

UDC: 535.853.4

PACS: 42.60.Pk, 42.60.Jf, 42.55.Lt

Received: 27.07.1973