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7 Polarization

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6 views28 pages

7 Polarization

Uploaded by

infinitygaming3698
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Polarisation

Only transverse waves can be polarised. Therefore, the fact


that light waves can be polarised is a proof that EM waves are
transverse in nature.
Imagine a rope and you
are moving it in xz
plane and then
in yz plane.

It can be related to
plane polarised light in
x- direction if Electric
filed is oscillating in xz
plane
What if you start
moving this rope in
a circle.

It can be related to
circularly polarised
light .
What if you start moving rope in random directions in
short interval of time?

It can be related to unpolarised light.


What if you introduce a slit in the path?

If a longitudinal wave were propagating in string, amplitude


of transmitted wave would have been same for all
orientations.
Electromagnetic Waves :

The direction of polarisation of an electromagnetic wave has


traditionally been defined to lie along the direction of oscillation
of the electric field.
P1 and P2 are polaroids.

If P1 and P2 are
parallel to each other,
light intensity will be
maximum
after P2.

If P1 and P2 are
perpendicular to each
other, light intensity is
minimum after P2.
Representation of unpolarised light:

Electric field vector is decomposed into 2 perpendicular


components. If direction of propagation of wave is z-direction,
then Electric field vector is decomposed into x and y
components.

For unpolarised light, the components have equal amplitudes,


and the phase difference between them varies randomly.
Direction of
propagation

If E is represented in x and y direction:


Direction of
propagation

Represents component out of plane

Represents component in the plane


Production of Linearly Polarised light:

● The wire grid polariser


● The Polaroid.
● Polarisation by reflection.
● Polarisation by double refraction.
If an unpolarized light is incident at Brewster angle, then
the reflected beam will be linearly polarized with its electric
vector perpendicular to the plane of incidence.
Reflected
Unpolarized light polarized light

θp θp
Air

Glass

θr
If an wave polarised in plane of paper is incident at Brewster
angle, then there will be no reflected beam!

polarized wave

No reflected
wave
θp

Air

Glass

θr
n2
Brewster angle is given by : −1
θ p =tan ( )
n1

If wave is incident from air to glass, n1 = 1. Therfore,

θ p =tan−1 (n2 )⇒ tan (θ p )=n2


sin (θ p )
=n2
cos(θ p )
sin(θ p )
Applying Snell's law : =n2
sin (θr )
sin (θ p ) sin (θ p )
From both of these equations: =
sin (θ r ) cos(θ p )
⇒ sin (θr )=cos (θ p )
⇒ sin (θr )=sin (90o −(θ p ))
o o
⇒θ r =90 −θ p ⇒ θr +θ p =90
Reflected
Unpolarized light polarized light

θp θp
Air

90o Glass

θr
Intensity of reflected polarised light can be increased by
using a pile of plates.
Polarisation by double refraction :
● If beam of light is passed through certain crystal like
calcite (CaCO3) or quartz (SiO2), it splits into two beams.
These substances are called doubly refracting or
birefringent.
One of refracted beams obeys Snell's law and is called
Ordinary ray (O-ray). The other beam doesn't obey
Snell's law and is called Extraordinary ray (E-ray).
● The E-ray travels in the crystal with a speed that varies
with direction and is described by ellipsoid. The O-ray
travels in the crystal with a constant speed in all
direction and is described by spheroid.
● The refractive index for O-rays is constant and is
direction dependent for E-rays.
● In the case of Calcite and Quartz crystal, there is one
direction in which there is no double refraction. This
direction is called optic axis or principal axis. There
are also biaxial crystals, no double refraction occurs in
two specific directions.
● O-rays and E-rays are polarised in a direction
perpendicular to each other. O-rays are polarised
perpendicular to plane containing optical axis.
The optic axis of a calcite crystal denoted by dotted line
AB. Any ray of ordinary unpolarised light incident along the
optic axis or parallel to this axis does not split up into two
rays.
The plane containing the optic axis and the perpendicular
to the pair of opposite faces of the crystal is known as
principal section for that pair of faces of the crystal.

Since the crystal has six faces, for each pair of opposite
faces of the crystal, there are three principal sections.
Wavefront of O- and E-rays :

S is the point from where light is starting at same


time in double refracting crystal.
For negative uniaxial crystals (like calcite) in which the
velocity of O-ray is less than the velocity of E-ray, sphere
lies inside the ellipsoid. However, for positive uniaxial
crystals (like quartz) the ellipsoid lies inside the sphere
since in this case the velocity of O-ray is greater than the
velocity of E-ray.
o wavefront Optic axis e wavefront

S
Ve

Vo
Vo <Ve Vo > Ve
Negative crystal Positive crystal
Malus' law :

polarizer P1 which has a pass axis parallel to the y axis;


i.e., if an unpolarized beam propagating in the z direction
is incident on the polarizer, then the electric vector
associated with the emergent wave will oscillate along the
y axis.
Consider the incidence of the y-polarized beam on the
Polaroid P2 whose pass axis makes an angle θ with the y
axis. If the amplitude of the incident electric field is E , then
the amplitude of the wave emerging from the Polaroid P 2
will be E cos(θ),

Only Ey will be transmitted, Ex


will be absrobed.

Ey =E0 cosθ

Remember lines here show


direction of polarisation not wire
grid or chain molecules direction.
Here, wire grid or chain molecules
are aligned along x-axis.
The intensity of the emerging beam will be given by

I = I0 cos2(θ) Malus' law

where I0 represents the intensity of the emergent beam


when the pass axis of P2 is also along the x axis (i.e., when
θ = 0).
Anti-glare automobile headlights :

45o
Two approaching vehicles
Head light

The transmission or pass


axis shown by lines in head
light and wind screen are
perpendicular to each other.
45o

No light from the head light


Wind screen will pass through the
Wind screen.
Adjustable tint windows :

By adjusting relative orientation of 2 polaroids, the light


intensity is adjusted in tint windows.

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