We introduce an effective method for measuring the spatial distribution of complex correlation matrix of a partially coherent vector light field obeying Gaussian statistics by extending our recently advanced generalized Hanbury Brown–Twiss experiment. The method involves a combination of the partially coherent vector light with a pair of fully coherent reference vector fields and a measurement of the intensity-intensity cross-correlation of the combined fields. We show the real and imaginary parts of the complex correlation matrix can be recovered through a judicious control of the phase delay between two reference fields. We test the feasibility of our method by measuring the complex correlation matrix of a specially correlated radially polarized vector beam and we find the consistence between the experimental results and our general theory. We further show that our complex correlation matrix measurement can be used in reconstructing the polarization states hidden behind a thin-layer diffuser.

中文翻译：

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通过广义的Hanbury Brown-Twiss实验测量部分相干矢量光的复杂相关矩阵。

通过扩展我们最近先进的广义Hanbury Brown-Twiss实验，我们引入一种有效的方法来测量服从高斯统计的部分相干矢量光场的复杂相关矩阵的空间分布。该方法包括将部分相干的矢量光与一对完全相干的参考矢量场进行组合，并测量组合场的强度-强度互相关。我们表明，可以通过明智地控制两个参考场之间的相位延迟来恢复复数相关矩阵的实部和虚部。我们通过测量特殊相关的径向极化矢量束的复相关矩阵来检验我们方法的可行性，并且发现实验结果与我们的一般理论之间的一致性。