POLARIZATION

❖ Light is a transverse wave. 𝐸

❖ Vibrations of electric field and

magnetic field are perpendicular
to direction of propagation.

Classification of light: 𝑛ො

1. Unpolarized light 𝐵

2. Polarized light Electromagnetic wave

3. Partially polarized light

 UNPOLARIZED LIGHT

Unpolarized light – The vibrations of 𝐸Ԧ field occur symmetrically in all

directions in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light.

Vibrations in plane of paper

Vibrations perpendicular
to plane of paper
 UNPOLARIZED LIGHT

How do we get unpolarized light?

In common light sources, EM waves
are produced by excited atoms, and
different atoms can have different
electric field directions. That’s
why the general light sources given
below produces unpolarized light.
Vibrations produced in atoms

General sources of unpolarized light:

Bulb Candle Sun

Light Source
 POLARIZATION

2. Polarized light

Plane of oscillation

Only the components of vibrations parallel to the pass axis of the polarizer
can pass through the polarizer and the light we get is called the plane
polarized light.
 PLANE POLARIZED LIGHT

Plane Polarized light – The vibrations of 𝐸Ԧ field occur only in one direction
in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light.

𝑥
𝑧

Plane of polarization – Plane containing electric field and direction of

propagation.
 POLARIZER

How do we get polarized light ?

When an unpolarized light is passed through a
polarizer, only the component of the electric
field parallel to the transmission axis/ pass
axis of the polarizer can pass through the
polarizer. By this way, we get polarized light. Vibrations ⊥ to plane of paper

The phenomenon of restricting the

Transmission axis
vibrations of 𝐸Ԧ to one direction
in a plane perpendicular to the
direction of propagation of light
is known as polarization of
light.
Unpolarized Polarized
light light
Polarizer
 CHARACTRISTRISTICS OF LIGHT RAYS

When an unpolarized light is passed through polarizer:

On rotating the polarizer by 90𝑜

Unpolarized Polarized
light light Unpolarize Polarized
Polarizer d light light
𝐼𝑂 Polarizer
Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity = 𝐼
2 Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity = 𝑂
2

❖ For unpolarized light, on rotating the polaroid, the intensity of the

emergent light remains same.
 CHARACTRISTRISTICS OF LIGHT RAYS

When polarized light is passed through polarizer:

On rotating the polarizer by 90𝑜

Polarized Polarized Polarized Polarized

light light light light
Polarizer Polarizer
Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity = 0
Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity = 𝐼0

❖ For Polarized light, on rotating the polaroid the intensity of the emergent
light varies from maximum to zero.
 CHARACTRISTRISTICS OF LIGHT RAYS

When partially polarized light is passed through polarizer:

On rotating the polarizer by 90𝑜

Partially Polarized Polarized

Partially
polarized light light light
Polarizer polarized light
𝐼𝑂 Polarizer
Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity =
2 Intensity = 𝐼𝑂 Intensity, 0 < 𝐼 < 𝐼0

❖ For partially Polarized light, on rotating the polaroid, the intensity of

the emergent light varies between maximum to minimum but never becomes
zero.
 LAW OF MALUS

❖ When a completely plane polarized light is incident on

an analyzer, the intensity of emergent light varies as
the square of the cosine of the angle between the
transmission axis and axis of light that passes
through the analyzer.
1775 − 1812
𝐼 = 𝐼0 cos 2 𝜃 Étienne-Louis Malus

❖ We know that intensity is proportional Transmission

axis 𝜃
to the square of the amplitude. Thus,

Polarized light (𝐼0)

 LAW OF MALUS

Angle between 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 is zero Angle between 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 is 90°

Angle between 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 is 𝜃 where, 𝜃 ≠ 90𝑜

 Unpolarised light with intensity 𝐼0 passes through a polarizer and then
through a second polarizing filter (analyzer) with an angle of 30° relative
to the first one. What is the final intensity of light?
3𝐼0 2𝐼0 3𝐼0 4𝐼0
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑑
8 3 4 3

Solution

Given: 𝐼 = 𝐼0 , 𝜃 = 30°
Intensity of light after passing through
polarizer 𝑃1 is,
𝐼0
𝐼1 =
2
Intensity of light after passing through polarizer 𝑃2 is given by,
2
2
𝐼0 2 𝐼0 3 𝐼0 3 3𝐼0
𝐼2 = 𝐼1 cos 𝜃 𝐼2 = cos 30° 𝐼2 = = 𝐼2 =
2 2 2 2 4 8
Hence, option (𝑎) is the correct answer.
 Unpolarised light with amplitude 𝐴0 passes through two polarizers. The
first one has an angle of 30° clockwise to vertical and second one has an
angle of 15° counterclockwise to vertical. What is the amplitude of light
emitting from the second polarizer?
𝐴0 𝐴0 𝐴0 𝐴0
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑑
8 3 4 2

Solution

Given: 𝐴 = 𝐴0
We know, intensity is proportional to
the square of amplitude. Therefore,
𝐴1 𝐼1
𝐼 ∝ 𝐴2 𝐴∝ 𝐼 =
𝐴2 𝐼2
Intensity of light after passing
through polarizer 𝑃1,
𝐼0
𝐼1 =
2
Therefore, the ratio of the amplitude
of the light after crossing 𝑃1 to the
incident light is given by,

𝐴1 𝐼1 𝐼0 1 𝐴0
= = = 𝐴1 =
𝐴0 𝐼0 2𝐼0 2 2
Intensity of light after passing
through polarizer 𝑃2 is,
𝐼2 = 𝐼1 cos2 𝜃
Here, 𝜃 = 30° − −15° = 45°. Therefore, we get,
2
𝐼0 𝐼0 1 𝐼0
𝐼2 = cos2 45° = =
2 2 2 4
Therefore, the ratio of the amplitude of the light after crossing 𝑃1 to the final emergent
light is given by,
𝐴1 𝐼1 𝐴2 𝐼2 𝐼0 1 𝐴0
= = = = 𝐴2 =
𝐴2 𝐼2 𝐴0 𝐼0 4𝐼0 4 2
Hence, option (𝑑) is the correct answer.
 Use of polarizer

The sunlight, which is an unpolarized light, after passing

through the polaroids of sunglasses becomes polarized and the
intensity of sunlight coming into the eyes decreases.
 POLARIZATION BY REFLECTION
❖ When light is reflected in going from one medium to other medium, the
reflected light becomes partially polarized.

Unpolarized light

Partially polarized

Air
Medium (𝝁)

Unpolarized light
 BREWSTER’S LAW

❖ The degree of polarization of reflected light depends upon the

angle of incidence.

❖ At a particular angle of incidence when reflected ray is

perpendicular to refracted ray, then reflected ray is plane
polarized.
1781 − 1868
▪ For a particular angle of incidence 𝑖𝑝:
SIR DAVID BREWSTER
Reflected light – completely plane polarized
Plane polarized

𝑖𝑝
Air

Medium (𝜇)
 BREWSTER’S LAW
❖ Applying Snell’s Law for the given Plane
configuration, we get,
polarized
1 × sin 𝑖𝑝 = 𝜇 × sin 𝑟 ………(1)
For the reflected ray to be plane
𝑖𝑝
polarized, the required condition is: Air
The reflected ray should be perpendicular to
refracted ray for a particular angle of incidence.
Medium (𝜇)
Therefore, 𝑖𝑝 + 𝑟 = 90° ⇒ 𝑟 = 90° − 𝑖𝑝
90𝑜 − 𝑖𝑝
Hence, equation (1) becomes:
1 × sin 𝑖𝑝 = 𝜇 × sin 90 − 𝑖𝑝
sin 𝑖𝑝 sin 𝑖𝑝
𝜇= 𝜇= = tan 𝑖𝑝
sin 90 − 𝑖𝑝 cos 𝑖𝑝

𝑖𝑝 = Brewster’s angle Mathematical form of

tan 𝑖𝑝 = 𝜇 𝜇 = Refractive index of medium Brewster’s Law
 The refractive index of water w.r.t air is 4/3. Find 𝑖𝑝 for air-water
interface.
𝑎 0° 𝑏 30° 𝑐 53° 𝑑 45°

Solution

Using Brewster’s law: 𝑖𝑝

Air
𝜇 = tan 𝑖𝑝
4 water (4/3)
= tan 𝑖𝑝
3

𝑖𝑝 = tan−1 4/3

𝑖𝑝 = 53°

Hence, option (𝑐) is the correct answer.

 The Brewster angle 𝑖𝑝 for an interface should be
𝑎 0° < 𝑖𝑝 < 30° 𝑏 30° < 𝑖𝑝 < 45° 𝑐 45° < 𝑖𝑝 < 90° 𝑑 𝑖𝑝 = 90°

Solution

Brewster’s law: 𝑖𝑝
Air
tan 𝑖𝑝 = 𝜇 𝑖𝑝 = tan−1 𝜇
Medium (𝜇)
Refractive index can vary between: 1 < 𝜇 < ∞

tan−1 1 tan−1 ∞
Therefore, the Brewster’s
angle should lie between:
45° 90° 45° < 𝑖𝑝 < 90°

Hence, option (𝑐) is the correct answer.