Effect of polarization on the evolution of electromagnetic hollow Gaussian Schell-model beam

Abstract Based on the theory of coherence, an analytical propagation formula for partially polarized and partially coherent hollow Gaussian Schell-model beams (HGSMBs) passing through a paraxial optical system is derived. Furthermore, we show that the degree of polarization of source may affect the evolution of HGSMBs and a tunable dark region may exist. For two special cases of fully coherent and partially coherent δ xx  =  δ yy , normalized intensity distributions are independent of the polarization of source.