LIGHT CONTROL 7-17

transverse wave motion the disturbance at each point along the path can be resolved
into two rectangular components, perpendicular to and in the same plane of the
paper, indicated respectively by the dots and arrows. At the point of contact some
of the incident light will be reflected, some refracted, some absorbed; and some of
that absorbed will be re-emitted in the reflected ray. Since the motion is transverse,
if the angle between reflected and refracted rays is 90 degrees, none of the disturb-
ance components parallel to the plane of incidence of the refracted rays can be re-
emitted in the reflected ray, and only radiation polarized in a plane parallel to the
surface is reflected.
The polarizing angle (sometimes called Brewster's angle) at which polarization
will be most nearly complete, occurs when the sum of the angles of incidence i and re-
fraction r equals 90 degrees. It is determined by the relationship known as
Brewster's law
:
2
= tan i
where
n
=
index of refraction for the reflecting medium
%
= angle of incidence
At all other angles of incidence the reflected ray will include polarization components
in other planes. Figure 7-8 shows the variation in reflectance which occurs at vari-
ous angles of incidence for both polarized and nonpolarized light at an air-glass
surface.
Interference
When two light waves come together at different phases of their vibra-
tion, they combine to make up a single wave whose amplitude equals the
sum of the amplitudes of the two. This interference phenomenon is
utilized to increase luminous transmittance,
6
and for extreme^ accurate
thickness measurements in machine shops.
2
Interference also is the cause
of the diffraction pattern which is sometimes seen around a pin hole or at
the edge of a shadow cast by the sharp edge of an opaque screen and of
irridescence in bubbles, oil slicks and other thin films.
9
Low reflectance films.
These films are applied to surfaces to reduce
reflectance, increase transmittance, and consequently improve contrast
relationships. The effect of these films on the reflectance of single and
multisurface optical systems is shown in Fig. 7-22. Films a quarter wave
length thick with an index of refraction between that of the medium sur-
rounding the glass and that of the glass are used. The hardest and most
permanent films are those of magnesium fluoride condensed on the trans-
4 8 12 16
NUMBER OF SURFACES

.
UNTREATED
GLASS, Rg
INDEX OF
REFRACTION
FILM,n
F
=1.34
GLASS 06=1.57
FILMED GLASS,
R
0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60 0.65 0.70
WAVELENGTH IN MICRONS
0.76
FIG. 7-22. Reduction in reflection'losses by low reflection films.