Characteristics of Optical Noncoherent Sources

Abstract

The sources of electromagnetic radiation can be categorized by several different methods. Sources can be grouped according to the type of material or the type of equipment which produces the radiation. The manner in which the radiation originated can be described in terms of nuclear, electronic or molecular transitions between energy states. Slight modifications of vibrational, rotational, or translational energy states in molecular bonds can give rise to infrared or microwave photons. When the temperature of a body is elevated, a variety of energy transitions take place and photons are emitted. The higher the temperature the greater percentage of high energy photons are released.