Generation and propagation of partially coherent beams with nonconventional correlation functions: a review [Invited]

Partially coherent beams with nonconventional correlation functions have displayed many extraordinary properties, such as self-focusing and self-splitting, which are totally different from those of partially coherent beams with conventional Gaussian correlated Schell-model functions and are useful in many applications, such as optical trapping, free-space optical communications, and material thermal processing. In this paper, we present a review of recent developments on generation and propagation of partially coherent beams with nonconventional correlation functions. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America