Lecture

Polarisations: Rectilinear and Circular

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In course

EE-201: Electromagnetics II : field computation

Ce cours traite de l'électromagnétisme dans le vide et dans les milieux continus. A partir des principes fondamentaux de l'électromagnétisme, on établit les méthodes de résolution des équations de Maxwell dans le vide et dans des milieux matériels complexe ...

Description

This lecture covers the concepts of rectilinear and circular polarizations, including examples and characteristics such as impedance, phase relationships, and quadrature. It also delves into clockwise, counterclockwise, and elliptical polarizations, providing tips for understanding and visualizing these phenomena.

Instructor

Romain Christophe Rémy Fleury

Official source

Related concepts (15)

Elliptical polarization

In electrodynamics, elliptical polarization is the polarization of electromagnetic radiation such that the tip of the electric field vector describes an ellipse in any fixed plane intersecting, and normal to, the direction of propagation. An elliptically polarized wave may be resolved into two linearly polarized waves in phase quadrature, with their polarization planes at right angles to each other. Since the electric field can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise as it propagates, elliptically polarized waves exhibit chirality.

Polarization (physics)

Polarization (also polarisation) is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. A simple example of a polarized transverse wave is vibrations traveling along a taut string (see image); for example, in a musical instrument like a guitar string. Depending on how the string is plucked, the vibrations can be in a vertical direction, horizontal direction, or at any angle perpendicular to the string.

Polarizer

A polarizer or polariser (see spelling differences) is an optical filter that lets light waves of a specific polarization pass through while blocking light waves of other polarizations. It can filter a beam of light of undefined or mixed polarization into a beam of well-defined polarization, that is polarized light. The common types of polarizers are linear polarizers and circular polarizers. Polarizers are used in many optical techniques and instruments, and polarizing filters find applications in photography and LCD technology.

Optical rotation

Optical rotation, also known as polarization rotation or circular birefringence, is the rotation of the orientation of the plane of polarization about the optical axis of linearly polarized light as it travels through certain materials. Circular birefringence and circular dichroism are the manifestations of optical activity. Optical activity occurs only in chiral materials, those lacking microscopic mirror symmetry. Unlike other sources of birefringence which alter a beam's state of polarization, optical activity can be observed in fluids.

Circular polarization

In electrodynamics, circular polarization of an electromagnetic wave is a polarization state in which, at each point, the electromagnetic field of the wave has a constant magnitude and is rotating at a constant rate in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the wave. In electrodynamics, the strength and direction of an electric field is defined by its electric field vector. In the case of a circularly polarized wave, the tip of the electric field vector, at a given point in space, relates to the phase of the light as it travels through time and space.

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Polarized Light Microscopy: Techniques and Applications

Explores polarized light microscopy techniques, including observing spherulites and birefringence in specimens, and analyzing various materials.

General Notions of Optical Activity and Birefringence

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Polarisation: Reminders, Animations, and Vector Analysis

Explores the theory and animations of linear, circular, and elliptical polarisations in electromagnetic waves.

Elliptical Polarization: Generation and Interpretation

Explores the generation and interpretation of elliptically polarized light in microscopy, including contrast enhancement techniques and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy.

Electromagnetic Potentials and Polarization Vectors