Notes for Polarization of light
Polarization of light:
Unpolarized and plarized lights: An ordinary beam of light in which the transverse
vibration occurs in all possible direction, perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light
is known as unpolarized light. Such light is represented by any of the figures given below:
Direction of
propagation
Fig. 1-Unpolarized lights
The beam of light having vibrations restricted in a single plane perpendicular to the direction
of propagation is called the plane polarized light. Such light is represented as shown in figures
below:
Fig 2-Plane polarized lights
Here the dots represent the vibrations perpendicular, and the double arrows represent the
vibrations parallel to the plane of paper.
Polarization of light :
The phenomenon of restriction of vibration of light in a particular plane (or in a
particular manner) is called the polarization of light, and such light is known as polarized
light.
It is found that, when a beam of light is allowed to pass normally through a thin plate
of tourmaline crystal 'P' cut parallel to its crystallographic axis, the transmitted light is plane
P A Light transmitted
No light transmitted
P A
polarized. Here the vibrations parallel to the axis of the crystal are allowed to pass, and those
in other directions are blocked. Such materials which polarizes the light are called the
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Notes for Polarization of light
polarizers. When the polarizing crystal is rotated, the character of the transmitted light
remains unchanged.
Another similar crystal A, introduced to check the transmitted light from P is called analyzer
A. When the axis of the crystal A is parallel to that of P, the light transmitted by ‘P’ is allowed
to pass through ‘A’ without any change. But if the crystal ‘P’ is fixed and ‘A’ is gradually
rotated in its plane, the intensity of light emerging out of ‘A’ decreases and becomes zero
when they are perpendicular. This observation shows that light waves are transverse. If they
were longitudinal, there would be no change in intensity of light due to the rotation of A.
Define the plane of vibration and the plane of polarization.
Plane of vibration: The plane containing the direction of vibration and the direction of
propagation of light is called the plane of vibration.(ABCD in figure below)
Plane of polarization: The plane containing the direction of propagation, but containing no
vibration is called the plane of polarization.(EFGH in the fig.)
D C
H G
E F
A B
Plarization by reflection and Brewster's Law (imp)
In 1808, Malus discovered the plarization of light by reflection from the surface of glass. He
found that, when ordinary light is incident on the surface of glass or any transparent medium,
the reflected beam is partially plane polarized. The extent of plarization changes with the
angle of incidence and becomes maximum at a particular angle. The angle of incidence at
which the reflected beam is completely plane plarized is known as the plarizing angle, p. Its
value depends on the nature of reflecting medium and the wavelength of light.
Brewster's Law
In 1881, Sir David Brewster performed a series of experiments to study the plarization
of light by reflection. He found that, when a beam of ordinary light is incident on the surface
of a given transparent medium, the reflected beam is completely plane polarized at a
particular angle of incidence. This angel of incidence is called polarizing angle or Brewster's
angle, and is denoted by p.
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Notes for Polarization of light
Brewster also found the result that at the polarizing angle p, the reflected and refracted
rays are mutually perpendicular to each other;
and hence, derived the relation - Plane
Unpolarized A C
= Tanp light
polarized
Where, is the refractive index for the medium. p p
This relation is known as Brewster's law.
X Y
Proof: B
Consider an ordinary beam of light AB, r Partially plane
incident on the surface XY of a transparent polarized
medium at the polarizing angle of incidence, p. D
Let BC be the reflected ray and BD be the
refracted ray with angle of refraction r.
Since refracted ray BD, and reflected ray BC are perpendicular, we have- CBD = 900
So from figure, p + 90 + r = 1800
or, r = 90o - p
sini
From Snell's law, =
sinr
sinθp sinθp
or, = or, =
sin(90°−θp) cosθp
or, = tanp
Thus, tangent of the angle of polarization is equal to the refractive index of the medium.
Polaroids:
Polaroid is an artificial crystalline material which can be made in thin sheets and has a
property of allowing the light waves due to vibrations in a particular plane to pass through.
Therefore, a Polaroid is capable of producing a strong beam of plane polarized light.
Applications:
1. To produce and analyze plane polarized light.
2. Used in Polaroid sunglasses.
3. To control the intensity of light in airplanes, trains etc.
4. Used in headlights and windscreen of motors.
5. As filters in camera to remove the glaze.
Numerical question: If the refractice inxed of diamond for a particular light is 2.417, find
the angle of incidence for which the light reflected from the diamond is completely plane
polarized.
(Ans: 67.5o)
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Notes for Polarization of light
Malus Law(Optional): when a beam of polarized light is incident on an analyzer, the
intensity, I of the light transmitted from the analyzer is directly proportional to the square of
the cosine of angle ‘’ between the transmission axes of analyzer and polarizer. ie.
I cos2 --------- (1)
Let Eo be the amplitude of electric field vector of plane polarized light transmitted by the
polarizer. Then its intensity,
I0 E02
When is the angle between the axes of analyzer and polarizer then the component of Eo
along the analyzer axis is EoCos and perpendicular to it is Eosin.But, only the component
EoCos, which is along its axis, is transmitted by analyzer. Therefore, intensity of transmitted
light,
I (EoSin)2 ---------- (2)
I (EoCosθ)2
Thus, = = Cos2
Io Eo2
I = IoCos2
ie., I Cos2
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