Spatial light source design for depth direction coherence control

A new scheme for designing a spatial light source for depth direction coherence control is proposed. This method is based on a combination of spatial coherence phenomena and the superposition principle. A computer-generated light source is projected onto a moving diffuser in order to realize multiple coherence peaks in the depth direction by synthesizing the longitudinal coherence function. Using this light source, we can shape a coherence function with multiple peaks, which are equidistant and have different strengths for distinguishability. This method may provide a new way of performing long-range depth direction measurements.