Announcements 2/13/12
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Prayer
Exam going on
No homework due tomorrow
Reading Quiz
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In circularly polarized light, the two components of the
E-field differ by a phase of:
a. 0
b. p/3
c. p/2
d. 2p/3
e. p
Reading Quiz
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The mathematical objects that describe polarization
states are ______ vectors.
a. Jones
b. Newton
c. Maxwell
d. Smith
e. Zelazny
Circularly Polarized, pictures
RCP vs LCP:
which is this?
Pictures from Wikipedia
Jones vectors
Elliptically polarized
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E still rotates at a given point in space. But E is strongest when
it points along a certain line, and weakest when it points 90
degrees from that line.
Jones vector summary
1
 
0
1
 
0
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Linear, x
0
 
1
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Linear, y
 cos  


 sin  
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Linear, at angle  from x-axis
1  1 
 i ( 90) 
2 e

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RCP
1  1 
 i ( 90)  
2 e

LCP
 A 
 i ( 90) 
 Be

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 A 
 i 
 Be 
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elliptical, axis
of ellipse at
an angle
given by Eqn
6.12
RCP-like elliptical, with long axis
of ellipse along x- or y-axes
Unpolarized light?
Polarizers
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Crystals
Lines
Polaroid
of wires
film
Polaroid Film
Crystals
www.thorlabs.com
Jones matrices
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Today: just for linear polarizers