Optimal coherent decompositions for radially symmetric optical systems

In this article, we discuss the application of the optimal coherent decompositions introduced by Pati and Kailath [J. Opt. Sec. Am. A 11, 2438 (1994)] to radially symmetric optical systems. We show that for such systems, both the point spread functions and the pupil functions corresponding to each term in the expansion are separable in polar coordinates. We derive analytical expressions for their angular dependence and an integral equation for the radial dependence. Our results reduce the task of computing optimal coherent decompositions from a two-dimensional integral eigenvalue problem to a one-dimensional one. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.