The Generalized Van Cittert-Zernike Schell propagator

This is a simplified repository showcasing different functionalities of the GVS propagator, which is an efficient algorithm for simulating partially coherent light. The model uses the Van Cittert-Zernike theorem to find the complex coherence factor from a light source reaching the object plane, and it then uses the generalized Schell’s theorem to compute the diffraction pattern produced at a given propagation distance, not limited to the far field.

The repository also contains an example of how to use the GVS propagator to simulate a computer-generated hologram using Pytorch.

cat_fish.mp4

🗂️ Repository Structure

These are the files to take a look at 👀:

• gvs_propagator/

  • coherent.py: Different coherent propagation algorithms.
  • partially_coherent.py: Implementation of partially coherent propagation algorithms.
  • cgh/
    • rgb_asm.py: Application of GVS to computer-generated holography using Pytorch.
  • notebooks/
    • gvs_propagator.ipynb: Main example notebook showcasing the proposed algorithms.
    • cgh.ipynb: Example notebook showing a CGH optimization using GVS and its results.

• 🚀 Take a look at the exported HTML version of the GVS propagator notebook.

• 🚀 Take a look at the exported HTML version of the Partially coherent CGH notebook.

📦 Required Packages

This project uses Poetry for dependency management. The main dependencies are:

• Python 3.11+
• numpy
• scipy
• dask
• pandas
• plotly
• imageio
• kaleido (for static image export with plotly)
• pytorch

📖 Citation

Bibtex entry for GVS:

@article{Montoya2025GeneralizedLight,
    title = {{Generalized Van Cittert-Zernike Schell propagator: an efficient algorithm for simulating partially coherent light}},
    year = {2025},
    journal = {Optics Express},
    author = {Montoya, Manuel and Lopera, Maria J. and Nie, Yunfeng and Blinder, David},
    number = {22},
    month = {11},
    pages = {46313--46325},
    volume = {33},
    publisher = {Optica Publishing Group},
    doi = {10.1364/OE.571673},
    issn = {1094-4087},
}

The citation for the Partially coherent CGH work will be available once the article has been published.