Degree of polarization and heterodyne spectrum in coherent detection of partially polarized wave fields

Abstract

We first study the state of polarization of the superposition of partially polarized, statistically independent optical fields with application in coherent detection systems with emphasis on heterodyne configurations and obtain the DOP of the mixture of wave fields. Next we obtain the available heterodyne power after photodetection. Finally we obtain the spectrum of the photocurrent process resulting from the coherent detection of partially polarized amplitude-stabilized fields.

Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by a grant from Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia de México. We thank R. Muraoka and E. Pacheco of Centro de Investigación Cientifíca y de Educación Superior de Ensenada for their important participation.