Speckle is inherently an interference phenomenon produced when a rough object or turbulent medium introduces some degree of randomness to a reflected or transmitted electromagnetic field. Speckle characteristics are therefore a major concern in many laser imaging or wave propagation applications. For many applications, a detailed description of speckle size as a function of intensity threshold level is desirable. Extensive experimental measurements of average speckle size as a function of intensity threshold level were therefore made for several different targets and illumination conditions. We then compare these measurements with a theoretical model for excursion areas of speckle intensity. Excellent agreement is obtained for intensity threshold levels greater than approximately twice the mean intensity level.

Date Published: 29 June 1994
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 2222, Atmospheric Propagation and Remote Sensing III, (29 June 1994); doi: 10.1117/12.178017

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2222:
Atmospheric Propagation and Remote Sensing III
Walter A. Flood; Walter B. Miller, Editor(s)