Propagation Properties of Partially Coherent Hollow Gaussian Beams in Atmospheric Turbulence

The analytical expressions for the spatial and angular widths and the beam propagation factor (M 2 factor) of partially coherent hollow Gaussian beams (HGBs) propagating through atmospheric turbulence have been derived. It has been shown that the angular width for partially coherent HGBs in turbulence is independent of the beam order and is equal to that of a Gaussian-Schell Model (GSM) beam. The M 2 factor of partially coherent HGBs in turbulence depends on the waist width and increases with increasing beam order, propagation distance, and refractive index structure constant, and with decreasing coherent parameter and wavelength. Our results are also illustrated by typical numerical examples.