Re: Which Polarizer?


"Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)" <username@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:44D1735C.7070109@xxxxxxxxxxxx
SNIP
In a circular polarizer, you have a linear polarizer in front
and a "quarter wave plate" in back. The light that passes
through the linear polarizer then passes through the plate,
which has indices of refraction different along two
orthogonal axes. The thickness of the plate is such that along
one axis, light of a specific wavelength is slowed 1/4 the
wavelength. Then when the polarized light passes through the
plate, oriented so the axes are 45 degrees to the linear
polarizer, the electromagnetic wave vectors end up rotating.

Could it be helpful to also remind that natural light is usually in-coherent, so we're talking about multiple electromagnetic waves that arrive out-of sync/phase.

Bart

.

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