Chapter Polarization

Unpolarized light Polarized light

1) Consists of waves with planes of vibration 1) Consists of waves having their electric
equally distributed in all directions about vector vibrating in a single plane normal to
the ray direction. ray direction.
2) Symmetrical about the ray direction. 2) Asymmetrical about the ray direction.
3) Produced by conventional light sources. 3) Is to be obtained from unpolarized light
4) May be regarded as the resultant of two with the help of polarizer.
incoherent waves of equal intensity but 4) May be regarded as the resultant of two
polarized in mutually perpendicular mutually perpendicular coherent waves
planes. having zero phase difference.

POLARIZER AND ANALYZER

A polarizer is an optical element, which utilizes the phenomenon of selective absorption or double
refraction, and transforms unpolarized light into polarized light.

Plane polarized light is obtained by eliminating one of the two components in the unpolarized light. When
natural light is incident on a polarizer, the E-field component that is parallel to the chains of iodine atoms
induces current in the conducting chains and is therefore strongly absorbed. Consequently, the light
transmitted contains only the component that is perpendicular to the direction of molecular chains. The
direction of E-vector in the transmitted beam corresponds to the transmission axis of the Polaroid sheet.
Effect of polarizer on natural light.

Let us now understand the action of polarizer on the incident unpolarized light. Let us consider unpolarized
light incident on a polarizer with the electric vector E0 making an angle θ with respect to the transmission
axis of the polarizer. The electric vector E0 may be resolved into its component vectors lying parallel and
perpendicular to the transmission axis of the polarizer (see Fig. a), that is Ey, parallel to the transmission
axis and Ez, perpendicular to the transmission axis of the polarizer.

The polarizer transmits the parallel component while blocking the perpendicular component. Thus, it is the
parallel component Ey that is transmitted by the polarizer.

But Ey = E0 cos θ ......................... (1)

and hence, the intensity of the transmitted component is given by

𝐼 ∝ (𝐸𝑦 )2 = (𝐸0 cos θ )2 =𝐸0 2 𝐶𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 .......................... (2)

In unpolarized light all the values of θ are equally probable.

Therefore, the fraction of light transmitted through the polarizer equals the average value of 𝐶𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃

𝐼=𝐼0 2 𝐶𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃

2𝜋
1
𝐼 = 𝐼0 ∫ 𝐶𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃 dθ
2𝜋
0

2𝜋
1 1 + cos 2𝜃
𝐼 = 𝐼0 ∫ dθ
2𝜋 2
0

2𝜋
𝐼𝑜
𝐼= {∫ (1 + cos 2𝜃)dθ}
4𝜋
0

2𝜋 2𝜋
𝐼0
𝐼= {∫ dθ + ∫ cos 2𝜃 𝑑𝜃 }
4𝜋
0 0

𝐼𝑜 sin 2𝜃 2𝜋
𝐼= {2𝜋 + [ ] }
4𝜋 2 0
 𝐼𝑜 1
𝐼= {2𝜋 + [sin 4𝜋 − sin 0]}
4𝜋 2

𝐼0 1
𝐼= {2𝜋 + [0]}
4𝜋 2

𝐼0
𝐼=
2

Thus, if unpolarized light of intensity I0 is incident on a polarizer, the intensity of light transmitted
through the polarizer is I0 / 2.

PRODUCTION OF LINEARLY POLARIZED LIGHT USING A POLARIZER

A polarizer is associated with a specific direction called the transmission axis of the polarizer. If natural
light is incident on a polarizer, only those vibrations that are parallel to the transmission axis are allowed
through the polarizer whereas the vibrations that are in perpendicular directions are totally blocked.
Therefore, the transmitted light contains waves oscillating in the same plane, as illustrated in Fig.

Thus, the transmitted beam is linearly polarized.

DETECTION OF LINEARLY POLARIZED LIGHT

An analyzer is an optical element, which is used to identify the plane of vibration of plane polarized light.
To examine light coming from some direction either after emission or reflection etc, we use a Polaroid
sheet. The Polaroid sheet used to determine the plane of polarization of light is known as an analyzer.
There is no difference between a polarizer and analyzer in fabrication but they differ in their roles. Both the
polarizer and analyzer are characterized by a transmission axis.

• When the transmission axis of the analyzer A is set up parallel to that of polarizer P, light transmitted
by the polarizer, passes unhindered through the analyzer (Fig. ).
 • If the transmission axes are set at an angle 𝜃, light is partially transmitted (Fig.). As the angle
rotates from 0 to 90 degrees, the amount of light that is transmitted decreases.

• When the axes are perpendicular to each other, the polarized light from P is extinguished by the
analyzer A (Fig.). The polarizer and analyzer are said to be crossed in this configuration.

Brewster’s Law

Sir David Brewster performed a series of experiments on the polarization of light by reflection at a number
of surfaces. He found that the polarizing angle depends upon the refractive index of the medium. In 1892,
Brewster proved that the tangent of the angle at which polarization is obtained by reflection is numerically
equal to the refractive index of the medium. If 𝜃𝐵 is the angle and m is the refractive index of the medium,
then μ = tan𝜃𝐵

This is known as Brewster’s law.

If unpolarized light AB is incident on a smooth surface at the polarizing angle, it is reflected along OB
and refracted along OC, as shown in Figure. Brewster found that the maximum polarization of reflected
ray occurs when it is at right angles to the refracted ray. It means that

𝜃𝐵 + 𝑟 + 900 = 1800

𝜃𝐵 + 𝑟 = 900
 𝑟 = 900 − 𝜃𝐵 − − − (1)

According to Snell’s law, 𝜇1 sin 𝜃𝐵 = 𝜇2 sin 𝑟

sin 𝜃𝐵 𝜇2
=
sin(900 − 𝜃𝐵 ) 𝜇1

sin 𝜃𝐵 𝜇2
=
cos 𝜃𝐵 𝜇1

𝜇2
tan 𝜃𝐵 =
𝜇1

𝜇 = 1(𝑎𝑖𝑟) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜇2 = 𝜇( 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚)

𝜇
tan 𝜃𝐵 =
1

tan 𝜃𝐵 = 𝜇

• Brewster’s law can be used to determine the refractive indices of opaque materials.
• It helps us in calculating the polarizing angle necessary for total polarization of reflected light for
any material if its refractive index is known.

MALUS’ LAW
The amount of light transmitted through a polarizer at an arbitrary angle (as shown in Fig.) is given by
Malus’s Law.

• In 1809 Malus found that the intensity of polarized light transmitted through a polarizer is
proportional to the square of cosine of the angle between the plane of polarization of the light and
the transmission axis of the polarizer. This statement is known as Malus’ law.
• If unpolarized light of intensity Io is incident on a polarizer, plane polarized light of intensity Io/2 is
transmitted by it. Let us denote Io/2 by I1. Let this plane polarized light pass through an analyzer.
The intensity of the light transmitted through the analyzer is given by
 𝐼0
𝐼 = 𝐸 21 𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 𝜃 = 𝐼1 𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 𝜃 = 𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 𝜃
2
Light transmitted through the analyzer at specific settings are as follows.
𝐼0 𝐼0
Case (i): If θ = 0° axes parallel 𝐼= 2
𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 (0) = 2
= 𝐼1
𝐼0 𝐼0
Case (ii): If θ = 90° axes perpendicular 𝐼= 𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 (90) = (0) =0
2 2
𝐼0 𝐼0
Case (iii): If θ = 180° axes parallel 𝐼= 2
𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 (180) = 2
= 𝐼1
𝐼0 𝐼0
Case (iv): If θ = 270° axes perpendicular 𝐼= 2
𝐶𝑜𝑆 2 (270) = 2
(0) =0

we obtain two positions of maximum intensity and two positions of zero intensity when we rotate the axis
of the analyzer with respect to that of the polarizer.