Stokes parameters and Jones calculus are essential tools in the study of light polarization, but they apply differently to coherent and incoherent light. Jones calculus is specifically designed for fully coherent light, while the Mueller calculus, which utilizes Stokes vectors, can describe partially polarized light. There exists a unique mapping from Jones vectors to Stokes vectors, but not vice versa. Randomly polarized light is inherently incoherent, confirming the distinction between these two frameworks.
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Wminus said:Hi. There is one thing I don't understand: Why do stoke's parameters and all the Jones calculus business apply only to incoherent light? I don't understand how it can work on incoherent light, while fail to work on e.g. monochromatic light.