Spatial coherence of dispersed broad-band laser beams

The analytical expressions for the changes of the coherence degree and the thickness of the coherence layers while propagation of the dispersed light beams are obtained. It is established, that the larger the angle between the coherence layers and the phase fronts the faster the deterioration of the spatial coherence with a distance occurs. The comparison with a case of the nondispersed beams is made. It is shown, that the decrease of the coherence degree while the beam propagation is accompanied by the rise of its spatial fluctuations. The change of mutual correlation of two dispersed beams with the parallel correlated coherence layers is investigated.