Lecture

Electromagnetic Waves: Polarization and Reflection

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In course

PHYS-201(c): General physics : electromagnetism

Introduction à la mécanique des fluides, à l'électromagnétisme et aux phénomènes ondulatoires. ...

Description

This lecture covers the creation of ions in the ionosphere, the polarization of electromagnetic waves, Maxwell's equations, examples of normal incidence, polarization by reflection at the Brewster angle, and the Malus law for polarizers. It also discusses the applications of polarizers in various fields such as science, technology, and 3D film screens.

Instructor

Giovanni Boero

Expertise Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Electron spin resonance (ESR), Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), RF/MW discrete and integrated electronics, Magnetic sensors, Noise phenomena. Mission Methods based on the magnetic resonance of nuclear spins (nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)), unpaired electrons spins (electron spin resonance (ESR)), and coupled electron spins electrons (ferromagnetic resonance (FMR)) are very powerful radiofrequency/microwave spectroscopy tools used in many research and industrial a

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Physics

Optics: Wave polarization

Related concepts (32)

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.

Brewster's angle

Brewster's angle (also known as the polarization angle) is an angle of incidence at which light with a particular polarization is perfectly transmitted through a transparent dielectric surface, with no reflection. When unpolarized light is incident at this angle, the light that is reflected from the surface is therefore perfectly polarized. This special angle of incidence is named after the Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster (1781–1868).

Reflection (physics)

Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves. The law of reflection says that for specular reflection (for example at a mirror) the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected. In acoustics, reflection causes echoes and is used in sonar. In geology, it is important in the study of seismic waves.

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.

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