Abstract
The general form of the density operator for unpolarized radiation is obtained. It is shown that if two orthogonally polarized components of unpolarized radiation are statistically independent, the radiation is necessarily chaotic. It is also shown that the procedure currently being used for studying interactions of unpolarized radiation is not correct, and that Stokes's parameters do not correctly specify the unpolarized state of radiation.
- Received 10 August 1970
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.4.796
©1971 American Physical Society
