Polarization

Interference and diffraction proved

that light is a wave motion
It does not tells about character of
wave
In 1817 thomas young postulated
that light has transverse
Polarization property is a direct
consequence of light
being a transverse wave.

Light is a
Electromagnetic Wave

EM wave is
Light is an electromagnetic wave.
It consists of vibrations of electric field
and magnetic field.
The electric field and magnetic field
are perpendicular to each other and in
phase.
EM wave is a transverse wave.
Traditionally light wave is described by
electric field vector E

Electric Field Vector

Liht coming from an ordinary source

towards us , then we would observed that
the
direction of E is randomly varying with
time.
as a result the direction of oscillation of E
vector occurs in all possible planes
A light in which E-vector oscillating in all
possible directions is referred
to as unpolarised light
It is produced naturally

Polarized Light
Polarized Light
Vibrations lie on one
single plane only.
Unpolarized Light
Superposition of many
beams, in the same
direction of propagation,
but each with random
polarization.

Representation . . .
E

Unpolariz
ed

Polarized

Representation . . .

Unpolariz
ed

Polarized

Polarization of Light

Selective Absorption
Unpolariz
ed
Ligh
t

Vertical
Compone
nt being
Transmitt
ed

Horizontal
Component being
Absorbed

Selective Absorption Explanation

Polarizing Material
A Polarizing material
will only allow the
passage of that
component of the
electric field parallel
to the polarization
direction of the
material

I = I0 cos2

Polarizer & Unpolarized

Light

Each wave is attenuated by factor cos2.

Average attenuation is < cos2 > = 1/2

Crossed Polarizers

The first polarizer reduces the intensity by half.

The second polarizer reduces the intensity by another
factor of cos2.
The second polarizer projects the electric field onto a
new axis, rotated by from the axis of the first polarizer

Crossed Perpendicularly

Crossed at different
angles . . .

Crossed at different
angles . . .

Reflection

Brewsters Angle
i P

r 90 - P
sin i
n
sin r
sin P
sin P
n

sin (90 - P ) cos P

n tan P

Glares

Sunglasses Glare
Reduction

Polarized lenses have the added

benefit of filtering out reflected light,
or glare, off surfaces such as water or
pavement
Ideal for boating, fishing, driving or
any other activity associated with
intense glare
Reduces eyestrain and fatigue, while
increasing contrast and visual acuity

How Do Polarized Lenses

Work?
Light reflected from
surfaces like a flat road
or smooth water is
generally horizontally
polarized. This
horizontally polarized
light is blocked by the
vertically oriented
polarizers in the lenses.
The result: a reduction
in annoying and
sometimes dangerous
glare.

Action of Polaroid
Sunglass
Light reflected
from surfaces like
a flat road or
smooth water is
generally
horizontally
polarized. This
horizontally
polarized light is
blocked by the

Vertically Polarized
Light from Objects

Unwanted glares are

usually horizontally
polarized light

Glare and Polarization

Glare and Polarization

The polaroid absorbs most of the polarized light reflected from

the watersurface, allowing the dimmer light from the bottom of
the river, and any fish swimming there, to be seen more readily.

Polarization

Glare and Polarization

Glare and Reduction

Scattering
Incident Light Ray

Scattered
Small Particle

Light Ray

Scattering of Sunlight
When unpolarised sunlight impinges
on the molecules, the electric field of
the EM wave sets the electric charges
within the molecules into motion. The
EM wave is absorbed.
The molecules then quickly re-emit
light in all directions since oscillating
electric charges produce EM waves.
Because of the transverse nature of
light, the electric field of the re-emitted
waves should be in the plane that
includes the line of oscillation, the
scattered light is completely plane
polarized with its electric vector in the
direction shown.

Scattering of Sunlight

Polarization by
Scatterings

Polarized Light by
Scattering

Question ?
Why is the sky blue in the day and
red at sunsets?

The sky is blue

because . . .

The tiny particles in the atmosphere

(dust, clumps of air molecules,
microscopic water droplets) are better at
scattering shorter wavelength blue light
than the longer wavelength red light.
As sunlight passes through the
atmosphere, the scattered blue light give
the atmosphere an overall blue glow.

The sunset is red

because . . .

At sunrise and sunset, sunlight enters

our atmosphere at a shallow angle
and travels a long distance before
reaching our eyes.
During this long passage, most of the
blue light is scattered away and
virtually all that we see coming to us
from the sun is its red and orange
wavelengths.

Blue Sky and Red Sunset

Optical Activity

Photograph of a
plastic model of a
crane hook

Optical Activity
When polarized light is passed through some
materials, the plane of polarization is rotated.
Examples : plastic ruler, sellotape, sugar
solution
Applications :
Stress Analysis : The optical activity of plastic and
glass depends on the stress in them. When the stress
is greatest, the rotation of the vibration is greatest.
Dark and colour bands are produced when polarized
light is shone through the material. Engineers build
plastic models of structures to help them to analysts
the stress distribution.
LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays)

Application
Used in LCD display
Electrical voltage on a
liquid crystal diode
turns on and off
polarizing filter effect.

Seven-Segment LCD