Tomohiro SHIRAI

Photonics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-2-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-8564, Japan

(Received May 18, 2004; Accepted July 8, 2004)

Spatial coherence of the field modified by low-order adaptive optics is analyzed to establish a theoretical basis for the recent idea of using adaptive optics as a spatial coherence modifier. In this context low-order adaptive optics has the ability to correct some of the low-order aberrations specified by Zernike polynomials. The initial field to be modified is assumed to be a spatially partially coherent one resulting from phase disturbance. It is demonstrated, as in the previous study, that low-order adaptive optics serves to enhance the spatial coherence of the resultant field and that the effect of the enhancement becomes stronger as the spatial coherence of the initially partially coherent field increases. Potential applications of low-order adaptive optics as a spatial coherence modifier are briefly discussed.

Key words: adaptive optics, spatial coherence control, partially coherent field, Zernike modes, low-order adaptive optics, partial wave-front correction