Comparative study of propagation properties of partially coherent standard and elegant Hermite-Gaussian beams in inhomogeneous atmospheric turbulence

Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle (EHFP) and the definition of the Wigner distribution function (WDF), the propagation properties of partially coherent standard Hermite-Gaussian beams (SHGBs) and elegant Hermite-Gaussian beams (EHGBs) in inhomogeneous atmospheric turbulence have been investigated. The M2-factor, the curvature radius and the root-mean-square (rms) angular width of partially coherent SHGBs and EHGBs have been explored numerically and comparatively. It can be found that the saturation propagation distances (SPDs) of the M2-factor and the rms angular width of EHGB and SHGB in inhomogeneous turbulence with a small zenith angle of π/6 are about 20km and 0.3km, respectively. What’s more, the M2-factor and the curvature radius of the partially coherent EHGB are smaller than that of the partially coherent SHGB in inhomogeneous turbulence. It can be shown that the M2-factor and curvature radius depend on the zenith angle, coherence width, inner scale of the turbulence, beam order, wave number and waist width in inhomogeneous turbulence. Furthermore, it is found that the partially coherent SHGB and EHGB have the same rms angular width in inhomogeneous turbulence.