Polarization #1
Dr. Narendra L Mathakari
Associate Professor in Physics
3/31/2020 Polarization #1 1
Outline of PPT
• What polarization means
• Where Polarization is used in Technology
• Law of Malus
• Brewster’s law
• Introduction to Double Refraction
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The wave nature of light clearly explained by
Interference and Difraction Phenomenon
But These Phenomenan failed to explain
Whether the light waves are longitudinal or Tansverse?
Whether the light waves linear, circular or elliptical?
WKT, Depending on direction of vibration waves are classified as
Transverse and longitudinal
Phenomenon such as Reflection, Refraction, Interference, Difraction are common in
both the types
But Polarisation is possible only in transverse waves
Polarisation is the charecteristics of the Transverse wave
Light?
Light is an Electromagnetic Wave It contains:
- Electric Component
- Magnetic Component
- Both are perpendicular to each other
- Both are perpendicular to direction of
Propogation
But Electric Component is sensitive to
eye, so it is called as light vector
So one can neglect magnetic component
Source of light contains large number of atoms/molecules
Each atom produces its own wave independently
Each emission has its own electric component, orientation may be diffrent
What we se is resultant of each emission
Un-Polarised Light
Electric field
component Vibrates
in all direction
Electric field is a vector quantity, So one can resolve the vector
Polarisation
“Restricting vibrations or oscillations of a
wave in a plane perpendicular to the wave
propogation in only one direction”
Mechanical Analogy
No Vibrations
Optical Analogy
Consider an ordinary light instead of a string
a Polaroid (or a tourmaline crystal) instead of a slit.
If the Polaroid S1 is rotated then the intensity of the light will not vary proving that it is unpolarized.
However, the case will be different if light is passed through two Polaroids instead of one.
If the second Polaroid S2 is rotated across the first one,
Intensity of the light Varies
at 90o and 270o intensity is minimum
At 0o, 180o and 360o intensity is maximum
Ordinary light contains vibrations in all possible directions perpendicular to the direction of
propagation.
When such light passes through a polarizer, it contains vibrations only in a particular direction decided
by polarizing direction (optic axis) of the polarizer.
This experiment conclusively proves that light is a transverse wave
Types of Polarisation and Representations
1. Un Polarised Light (UPL)
2. Linearly/Plane Polarised Light (PPL)
3. Circularly Polarised Light (CPL)
4. Elliptically Polarised Light (EPL)
5. Partially Polarised Light (PRPL)
Unpolarized light:
The vibrations are symmetrically distributed in all the directions
perpendicular to the direction of propagation
UPL to PPL is Polarization
Polarization
UPL PPL
i. Polarizer polarizes the light
ii. Only vibrations parallel to optic axis are passed
iii. Thus either X or Y, only one is transmitted
iv. One axis parallel to optic axis another perpendicular
v. Thus when light is polarized once, its intensity always falls by
50%: Polarizing sunglasses
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Plane Polarized Light (PPL)
UPL is allowed to pass through a polarizer, then it vibrates only in one direction parallel to its optic
axis. Such light which vibrates only in a particular plane.
PPL (Vertically polarized) PPL (Horizontally polarized)
Partially Polarised Light (PRPL)
Neither fully polarized nor fully unpolarized
Circularly Polarised Light
Two plane polarised light of Equal amplitude are superimposed with a path difference λ/4
polarized electric vector in CPL rotates in a circle during its propagation
Elliptically Polarised Light
Two plane polarised light of unequal amplitude are superimposed with a path difference λ/4
polarized electric vector in EPL traces in a ellipse during its propagation
LAW OF MALUS
If the light is passed through two polarizers then the intensity of light passing through
second polarizer is a cosine square function of the angle between their optic axis.
Intensity is Maximum at 0o, 180o, 360o
Intensity is Minimum at 90o, 270o
If the light is polarized once, its intensity falls by 50%
Demonstration of Law of Malus-I
Polarizing sunglasses
Parallel Sunglasses Crossed Sunglasses
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Demonstration of Law of Malus-II
LCD through Polarizers
LCD, Polarizer and Law of Malus
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Demonstration of Law of Malus-III
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IO N
DU CT Polarization by reflection: Brewster’s law
PRO
When an ordinary light is incident on a transparent
material at a perticular angle, then the reflected
beam is polarised
The degree of polarisation is depend on angle of
incidence
The reflected beam is completely polarised when
the angle between the reflected and the refracted
beam is 90o.
Polarization by Pile of Plates
• Pile of plates
• First glass plate, UPL is incident
at 𝑖𝑃 reflected light is perfectly
polarized (15%)
• In each glass plates ‘removes’ 15
% dots
• Refracted light successively
becomes less ‘dots’ and more
‘lines’
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Biot’s Polariscope
• Two parallel glass plates, one polarizer and second analyzer
• First glass plate: UPL falls at 𝑖𝑃 reflected light is polarized
• On second parallel glass plate, the light falls at 𝑖𝑃 hence reflected
• If second glass plate is 90𝑜 …law of Malus…light is extinguished
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Double Refraction (Birefringence)
The phenomenon of splitting of light in to two linearly polarised beams, whose plane of
vibrations are mutually perpendicular
When unpolarised light pass through a calcite crystal, it splits in to Two rays called as O-Ray
and E-Ray
Ordinary-Ray Extraordinary-Ray
Passes without Deviated from the
Deviation incident direction
Obeys Snell’s law Donot obey Snell’s law
Velocity remain same Velocity is diffrent in
in all direction diffrent directions
Both the rays emerge out as parallel
from the crystal due to the opposite Vibrations Vibrations parallel to
faces of the calcite crystals are perpendicular to the the optic axis
parallel to each other optic axis
Refractive index is Refractive index is
same diffrent
Wavefronts are Wavefronts are
Spherical ellipsoid
Biaxial Crystal
There are two optic axes, these two axes make certain angle with each other, which is the
charecterstics of the crystal
Ex: Mica, Borax
Uniaxial Crystal
Only one optic axis
Ex: Calcite, Quartz, Tourmaline
Two Types
Negative Crystal
Positive Crystal
The quantity Δμ = μO - μE is called birefringence
Negative Crystal Positive Crystal
Δμ is –ve Δμ is +ve
Velocity of E-ray > Velocity of O-ray Velocity of O-ray > Velocity of E-ray
Velocity of E-ray is diffrent in diffrent direction Velocity of E-ray is diffrent in diffrent direction
Maximum at perpendicular to the optic axis Maximum along the optic axis
Minimum along the optic axis Minimum at perpendicular to the optic axis
Velocity of O-ray is same in all direction Velocity of O-ray is same in all direction
Refractive index varies for E-Ray Refractive index varies for E-Ray
Maximum along the optic axis Maximum at perpendicular to the optic axis
Minimum at perpendicular to the optic axis Minimum along the optic axis
Refractive index of O-ray > Refractive index of E-ray
Wave front of O-Ray is inside the Wave front of E-Ray Refractive index of E-ray > Refractive index of O-ray
Wave front of E-Ray is inside the Wave front of O-Ray
Ex: calcite, Tourmaline, Ex: Quartz, Aragonite
Crystal Formula ΜE μO Birefringence Type of crystal
Δμ = μE– μO
Calcite CaCO3 1.486 1.658 -0.172 -ve
Ice H2 O 1.313 1.309 +0.004 +ve
Quartz SiO2 1.553 1.544 +0.009 +ve
Siderite Feo.CO2 1.635 1.875 -0.240 -ve
Sodium NaNO3 1.336 1.587 -0.251 -ve
Nitrate
The crystals with large Δμ are strongly birefringent (sodium nitrate), while the crystals, such as ice
have a very low value of Δμ and are termed weakly birefringent.
Calcite is widely used : naturally occuring, colorless, low cost, ease to cut, rhombohedral
breaks: pieces also rhombohedral