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Excelitas Technologies Corp. - X-Cite Vitae LB 11/24

The Polarization of Light by Reflection

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Omega Optical Inc.


by Michael C. Fink – thin film scientist, Kirk Winchester – astronomy product manager, Gary Carver, and Robert L. Johnson – president and technical director.

It is now two hundred years since Étienne-Louis Malus, a French mathematician, discovered the polarization of light by reflection. Malus’s discovery was made using a birefringent mineral. Birefringence occurs when light of different polarizations travel at different speeds through a material.  The result of looking through birefringent material is a double image because light of different polarizations is bent or refracted by different amounts. One such material that carries this property is a clear crystal from Iceland known as Iceland Spar. (See Fig.1)  Fig. 1: Malus made this discovery...Read full article

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    Published: December 2008
    Glossary
    astronomy
    The scientific observation of celestial radiation that has reached the vicinity of Earth, and the interpretation of these observations to determine the characteristics of the extraterrestrial bodies and phenomena that have emitted the radiation.
    electromagnetic wave
    Wave of radiation identified by individual fluctuations of electric and magnetic fields.
    iceland spar
    Also called calcite. A natural hexagonal crystal of calcium carbonate. It cleaves readily into rhomboids useful in the study of polarized light.
    linear polarization
    Linear polarization refers to the polarization state of light where the electric field oscillates in a single plane as the light propagates through space. In other words, the electric field vector of linearly polarized light vibrates along a specific axis, defining the orientation of the polarization. Linear polarization can occur in any direction relative to the propagation axis, resulting in horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or any intermediate orientation. Mathematically, linear...
    photonics
    The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
    reflection
    Return of radiation by a surface, without change in wavelength. The reflection may be specular, from a smooth surface; diffuse, from a rough surface or from within the specimen; or mixed, a combination of the two.
    Astronomical PolarimeteryastronomyBasic Sciencebirefringent materialBrewsters anglechemicalsCommunicationsConsumerelectromagnetic waveEM fieldsÉtienne-Louis MalusGary CarverHubble Heritage TeamIceland SparJaap TinbergenKrik Winchesterlight amplificationlinear polarizationMichael C. FinkNASAOmega Optical Inc.optical instrumentsoscillating electric waveoscillating magnetic wavep-polarized lightphotonicsphotonspolarizabilitypolarization bias of instrumentsPolarization of Lightpolarized lightrandom polarizationreflectionRobert AntonucciRobert L. Johnsons-polarized lightunpolarized lightWeb Exclusives

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