Abstract: 1. Introduction.- 1.1 Direct and Inverse Problems in Optical Physics.- 1.2 Role of Prior Knowledge.- 1.3 Survey of Specific Inverse Problems.- 1.4 Notati on i n Coherence Theory.- References.- 2. The Phase Reconstruction Problem for Wave Amplitudes and Coherence Functions.- 2.1 Phase Reconstruction for Wave Ampl i tudes.- 2.1.1 Relevance of the Phase Problem for Object Structure Determi nation.- 2.1.2 Derivation of the Basic Equations Governing the Phase Probl em.- 2.1.3 General Considerations on the Phase Problem.- 2.1.4 Greenaway's Proposal for Phase Recovery from a Single Intensity Distribution.- 2.1.5 The Method of Half-Plane Apertures for Semi-Weak Objects.- 2.1.6 The Logarithmic Hilbert Transform: Methods for Circumventing Complications Due to Zeros.- 2.1.7 Phase Retrieval for Strong Objects from Two Defocused Images.- 2.1.8 Phase Retrieval from the Intensity Distributions in Exit Pupil and Image Plane.- 2.1.9 Phase Retrieval from Two Defocused Images for Semi-Weak Objects.- 2.2 Phase Reconstruction for Coherence Functions.- 2.2.1 Phase Determination of Optical Coherence Functions.- 2.2.2 Determination of the Phase of the Spatial Coherence Function with an Incoherent Reference Point Source.- 2.2.3 Determination of the Phase of the Spatial Coherence Function with an Exponential Filter.- 2.2.4 Determination of the Phase of the Spatial Coherence Function from the Intensity in the Fraunhofer Plane.- References.- 3. The Uniqueness of Inverse Problems.- 3.1 Summary of Inverse Problems.- 3.1.1 Inverse Sturm-Liouville Problems.- 3.1.2 Reconstruction Problems.- 3.1.3 Three-Dimensional Reconstruction from Projections.- 3.2 Inverse Diffraction.- 3.2.1 Inverse Diffraction from Far-Field Data.- 3.2.2 Inverse Diffraction from Spherical Surface to Spherical Surface.- 3.2.3 Inverse Diffraction from Plane to Plane.- 3.2.4 Generalization to Arbitrary Surfaces.- 3.2.5 The Determination of the Shape of a Scatterer from Far-Field Data.- 3.3 Non-Radiating Sources.- 3.3.1 Early Results and Special Cases.- 3.3.2 General Theory.- 3.3.3 Integral Equations and Uniqueness by Prior Knowledge.- 3.4 The Determination of an Object from Scattering Data.- 3.4.1 Examples of Nonuniqueness.- 3.4.2 Phase Shift Analysis and the Reconstruction of a Potential.- 3.4.3 The Determination of a Potential or Index of Refraction from the Scattered Fields Generated by a Set of Monochromati c PIane Waves.- 3.4.4 The Unique Determination of an Object from Scattering Data.- 3.4.5 The Analytical Continuation of the Electromagnetic Field from the Exterior to the Interior of a Scatterer and Its Physical Implications.- References.- 4. Spatial Resolution of Subwavelength Sources from Optical Far-Zone Data.- 4.1 Approaches to Superresolution.- 4.1.1 Array of Sources with Known Radiation Pattern.- 4.1.2 Superresolution Using Evanescent Waves.- 4.1.3 x-Locali zed Sources.- 4.2 Partial Waves Associated with Complex Spatial Frequencies.- 4.3 Representations and Expansions of the EM Field.- 4.3.1 Integral Representations.- 4.3.2 Partial-Wave Representation of Exterior Field.- 4.3.3 Multipole Waves.- 4.3.4 Plane Waves.- 4.4 Band-Limiting at Variance with X-Localized Sources.- 4.5 High-Frequency Information in the Far Zone Given a X-Localized Source.- 4.6 X-Localized Sources Reconstructed from Far-Zone Data.- 4.7 Measurement of Phase and Magnitude of the Optical Radiation Pattern.- 4.8 Discussion.- References.- 5. Radiometry and Coherence.- 5.1 The Development of Radiometry.- 5.1.1 The Classical Period.- 5.1.2 The Baroque Period.- 5.1.3 The Modern Period.- 5.2 Coherence of Blackbody Radiation.- 5.2.1 Temporal Coherence.- 5.2.2 Spatial Coherence.- 5.3 First-Order Radiometry.- 5.3.1 Energy Flow in Scalar Fields.- 5.3.2 Coherence Theory and the Radiometrie Quantities.- 5.3.3 The Van Cittert-Zernike Theorem.- 5.3.4 An Example: Quasi stationary Sources.- 5.4 Radiant Intensity and Angular Coherence.- 5.4.1 Source Models.- 5.4.2 Inverse Relations.- 5.4.3 Bessel-Correlated Sources.- 5.4.4 Gauss-Correlated Sources.- 5.4.5 An Application: Coherence of Thermionic Sources.- 5.5 Radiation Efficiency.- 5.5.1 Radiance of Model Sources.- 5.5.2 Emittance and Radiation Efficiency.- 5.5.3 Exampl es.- 5.6 Second-Order Radiometry.- 5.6.1 Radiant Intensity Fluctuation and Autocorrelation.- 5.6.2 Second-Order Radiometric Quantities.- 5.6.3 An Example: Gauss-Correlated Chaotic Source.- References.- 6. Statistical Features of Phase Screens from Scattering Data.- 6.1 Basic Formulation of the Statistical Problem.- 6.1.1 Physical Models.- 6.1.2 Characteristic Functional of the Scattered Light.- 6.1.3 Correlation Functions.- 6.1.4 Gaussian Limit.- 6.2 More General Detection and Coherence Conditions.- 6.2.1 Gaussian Scattered Field.- 6.2.2 Polychromatic Speckle Patterns.- 6.3 Amplitude and Intensity Correlations.- 6.3.1 Information Contained in Amplitude Correlations.- 6.3.2 Information Contained in Intensity Correlations.- 6.3.3 Moving Diffusers.- 6.4 Number-Dependent Effects.- 6.4.1 Moments and Probability Distribution of Intensity.- 6.4.2 Examples.- 6.4.3 Applications.- 6.5 Concluding Remarks.- References.- Additional References with Titles.