All Questions
42
questions
14
votes
6
answers
871
views
Can circularly polarized light induce magnetization?
In optics, we usually consider a non-magnetic medium where the magnetization $M$ is zero, while the polarization P is proportional to the electric field $P=\epsilon_0\chi E$. $P$ is induced by some ...
- 171
0
votes
0
answers
48
views
Stokes' vectors and quaternions
About a month ago, I was presented in my Optics class (classical and electromagnetic optics, to be more precise) the representation of partially polarised light through Stokes' vectors. Now, it ...
- 1,616
0
votes
2
answers
156
views
Graphical interpretation of complex electric fields
Before anything, I have read similar questions here but still something doesn't click perfectly, so I'll try to describe so.
My doubt is essentially that I have always thought $\vec E$ in the context ...
- 75
1
vote
2
answers
237
views
What happens to the electric field of circularly polarized light upon a normal reflection from a mirror?
Let's imagine we have Right Circularly Polarized Light propagating in the $+\hat{z}$ direction toward a perfectly reflecting mirror. Before reflection, the light has the electric field:
$$\vec{E}(z)=...
- 141
0
votes
3
answers
322
views
Formal proof that stacking multiple polarizers does/does not improve the extinction ratio?
Assume that you have a light source, e.g. a laser diode, with a polarization extinction ratio (ER) of 100:1, and you need to improve the extinction ratio as much as possible by adding polarizers, e.g. ...
- 181
1
vote
0
answers
10
views
Do uniaxial lossy media rotate the polarization of the extraordinary wave?
I am having problems determining the direction of polarization (of the electric field) of the extraordinary wave in a uniaxial crystal when the media is lossy. I am especially interested in the ...
- 352
-1
votes
1
answer
239
views
How do you determine the handedness of the polarization vector of a beam of light?
The Wikipedia page on circular polarization says,
[For] polarization [as] defined from the point of view of the source...left- or right-handedness is determined by pointing one's left or right thumb ...
- 2,327
0
votes
1
answer
108
views
Why is the polarization of light not a dimensionless quantity?
I've done plenty of Googling on the topic, but I'm still not completely getting it. The way my E&M professor's PowerPoint explained it, you find the polarization of a wave by imagining inserting ...
- 2,327
5
votes
1
answer
278
views
What natural phenomena produce circularly polarized light?
There are a few websites that talk about how certain creatures can produce circularly polarized light in nature (i.e., certain beetles, fireflies, mantis shrimp, etc.), but I have found very few ...
2
votes
0
answers
323
views
Propagation of vectorial electric field with Fourier Optics
In Fourier Optics one can propagate in free space the electric field $E(x,y)$ of a monochromatic light beam along the z-axis by decomposing it into plane waves via the Fourier transform, then ...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
25
views
What are the speeds of light inside a retarder?
A retarder introduces a phase shift between the field components traveling along the fast axis and the slow axis. But at what speeds are they actually traveling? Is the speed of light along the fast ...
- 362
0
votes
1
answer
71
views
How do we get from LHP to RCP on the poincare sphere?
A paper that I was reading wanted to transform the jones matrix of linearly horizontal polarization(LHP) to right circular polarization(RCP).
The paper states:
Consider... $J_{LHP}\to J_{RCP}$... In ...
- 73
0
votes
1
answer
143
views
What are the stokes parameters of a linear wave added to a circular one?
So consider the following thing: Let's suppose that we have a situation with two monochromatic waves propagating through the z-axis. Both waves have the same frequency and intensity. How can I find ...
- 55
0
votes
0
answers
33
views
How can I prove this property about linearly polarized waves?
So I'm studying electromagnetic waves. The current topic is polarization.
My professor material says in one part that the electric field of a monochromatic linearly polarized wave propagating through ...
- 55
1
vote
0
answers
35
views
Angles with oblique incidence and polarization [closed]
I need help with a exercise, i have problem with angles.
A circular wave of left hand with |E| = 1 V / m affects the interface between two media with refractive indices n1 = 1.45 and n2 = 4.1 with an ...
