Measurement of the second-order coherence of pseudothermal light

: Kuusela TA

Publisher: AMER ASSOC PHYSICS TEACHERS

: 2017

: American Journal of Physics

: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICS

: AM J PHYS

: 85

: 4

: 289

: 294

: 6

: 0002-9505

: 1943-2909

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1119/1.4975212

We describe photon statistics experiments using pseudothermal light that can be performed in an undergraduate physics laboratory. We examine the light properties in terms of a second-order coherence function, as determined either by measuring the light intensity as a function of time or via coincidence analysis of a pair of photon detectors. We determine the coherence time and intensity distribution of the pseudothermal light source that exhibits either Gaussian or non-Gaussian statistics as a function of their optical parameters, and then compare the results with theoretical predictions. The simple photodiode method can be used for the qualitative analysis of the coherence time, but more accurate measurements are achieved using the coincidence method. (C) 2017 American Association of Physics Teachers.