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Polarization

The document provides an overview of polarization, explaining the nature of polarized and unpolarized light, types of polarization, and the principles behind devices that polarize and detect light. It discusses applications of polarization in various fields such as sunglasses, LCDs, and 3D movies, as well as the mechanisms like double refraction and selective absorption. Additionally, it highlights the use of specific devices like polarizers and retardation plates in producing different kinds of polarized light.

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10 views12 pages

Polarization

The document provides an overview of polarization, explaining the nature of polarized and unpolarized light, types of polarization, and the principles behind devices that polarize and detect light. It discusses applications of polarization in various fields such as sunglasses, LCDs, and 3D movies, as well as the mechanisms like double refraction and selective absorption. Additionally, it highlights the use of specific devices like polarizers and retardation plates in producing different kinds of polarized light.

Uploaded by

aaravagarwalpune
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Polarization

Contents

• Understanding Polarization

• Types of polarization

• Devices for polarizing and detecting polarized light

• Principle : Double refraction

• Applications in polarizing sunglasses, LCDs, 3D movies, photoelasticity.


Understanding polarization

• Light is an electromagnetic wave consisting of mutually perpendicular, fluctuating electric and


magnetic fields.
• The direction of oscillation of the electric field vector in an ordinary light beam occurs in all
the possible planes perpendicular to the beam direction. This is unpolarized light.
• Polarized light is the light wave with a definite direction of oscillation of the electric field vector in
a plane.
• The process of transforming an unpolarized light to polarized light is called polarization (Malus).
• Polarized light is not produced naturally; it requires optical element named polaroid (polarizer).
• In short, polarization means restricting the vibration of light. Polarization proves transverse nature
of light.
Unpolarized light Polarized light

Consists of waves with planes of Consists of waves having their electric


vibration equally distributed in all vector vibrating in a single plane normal
directions about the ray direction. to ray direction.
Symmetrical about the ray direction Asymmetrical about the ray direction.

Is obtained from natural sources of light. Is to be obtained from unpolarized light


with the help of polarizers.
May be regarded as the resultant of two May be regarded as the resultant of two
incoherent waves of equal intensity but mutually perpendicular coherent waves
polarized in mutually perpendicular having zero phase difference.
planes
Types of polarization

Plane polarized light : The oscillations of electric field vector E are strictly confined to a single
plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
If the wave is coming towards the eye, electric vector E appaers executing linear vibration normal to
the ray direction. Thus it is also called linearly polarized light.
Eg. Television transmissions
Circularly polarized light : If light is composed of two plane waves of equal amplitude but
differing in phase by 900, light is said to be circularly polarized. The resultant vector E rotates about
The direction of propagation such that it sweeps a circular helix in space.
Elliptically polarized light : It consists of two perpendicular waves of unequal magnitude which
differ in phase by 900. The resultant vector changes in magnitude with time and rotates about the
direction of propagation such that it traces an ellipse.
Partially polarized light : It can be regarded as a mixture of linearly polarized and unpolarized
light.
Plane polarized light

Circularly polarized light Elliptically polarized light


Law of Malus: When light is polarized, its intensity is reduced by 50%.
When light is polarized using a system of polarizers, intensity of light passing through
the 2nd polarizer is given by
Iθ = Imcos2θ
Examples: A polarizer and analyzer are oriented so that the amount of transmitted light is
maximum. Through what angle should either be turned so that intensity of transmitted light is
reduced to (i) 0.25 , 0.5, 0.75 times the intensity?
Polarization by reflection – Brewster’s law
At angle of polarization, reflected light
is completely polarized.

μ = tanip

Applications: Brewster windows in gas


laser tubes.

Polarization by selective absorption - Dichroism


Certain crystals can absorb more light in one particular plane than the other so that light progre-
Ssing through the material becomes more polarized. This is dichroism.

Polarization by double refraction

When a beam of unpolarized light is incident on a surface of an anisotropic crystal like calcite or
Quartz, it will be separated into two rays that travel in different directions. This is called
birefringence or double refraction. The two rays are called ordinary and extraordinary rays that
are polarized in mutually perpendicular directions.
Double refraction

For ‘O’ ray Snell’s law obeyed ; refractive index μo remains isotropically same in all directions.
For ‘E’ ray Snell’s law not obeyed; refractive index μE varies with direction
Birefringence Δμ = μE – μo ; negative crystal if Δμ < 0 i.e. νo < νE eg. Calcite
positive crystal if Δμ > 0 i.e. νE < νo eg. Quartz and ice
Devices like polarizers and analyzers (Nicol prism and polaroids) work on the basis of double
refraction. In Nicol prism, O ray is eliminated by total internal reflection and only E ray is
transmitted.
Devices involved in producing and detecting polarized light

• Polarizers, analyzers (Nicol prism and polaroids), quarter wave plates and half wave plates all
based on double refraction.
• Calcite is superior due to following properties:
 Natural occurrence, transparent and colorless.
 Cheap and easy to cut.
 Rhombohedral crystal structure. If it is cut into different pieces, every piece is rhombohedral.

• Calcite is a negative crystal with birefringence Δμ = μE – μo = -0.172


• Commercial polaroids are made up of polymer named polyvynil alcohol (PVA).
Producing different kinds of polarized light
If E ray and O ray are superimposed we get the following equation;
‫ݔ‬2 ‫ݕ‬2 𝑥𝑦 2φ
2+ 2 -2 cosφ = sin
ܽ ܾ 𝑎𝑏
Then the conditions to obtain different polarized light are as follows:

φ Equation Vibration Obtained light

00, 3600 Y =(b/a) x Straight line PPL

1800 Y = -(b/a) x Straight line PPL

900, 2700 , a≠b ‫ݔ‬2 ‫ݕ‬2 Ellipse EPL


ܽ2+ܾ2 = 1
900, 2700 , a=b x2+y2 = a2 Circle CPL

A device named retardation plate is used to produce desired phase difference between E ray
and O ray.
Two kinds of retardation plate; Quarter Wave Plate (QWP) and Half Wave Plate (HWP)
QWP produces path difference of λ/4 between the rays and HWP produces path difference of λ/2.
For negative crystals, P.D. = μot – μEt, for QWP desired thickness t = λ/4(μo – μE)
Applications

• Polarized glasses – used to cut the glare of light

• LCD

• 3D movies

• Optical activity – rotating plane of polarized light

• Photo-elasticity – visualize stress zones in a material

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