The distribution of photoelectric counts from partially polarized Gaussian light

The distribution of the number of photoelectrons counted when partially polarized Gaussian light falls on a photosensitive surface is derived by the methods of Kac and Siegert. When the counting time is much longer than the coherence time of the light, the distribution is approximately the same as that of n bosons assigned to two sets of s states each, corresponding to beams of relative intensities ½(1 + P) and ½(1 - P), where P, 0 <or= P <or= 1, describes the state of polarization of the light, and s is the ratio of the counting time to the coherence time of the light.