Chapter 6 POLARIZATION OPTICS

  1. 6.1 POLARIZATION OF LIGHT
    1. A. Polarization
    2. B. Matrix Representation
  2. 6.2 REFLECTION AND REFRACTION
  3. 6.3 OPTICS OF ANISOTROPIC MEDIA
    1. A. Refractive Indices
    2. B. Propagation Along a Principal Axis
    3. C. Propagation in an Arbitrary Direction
    4. D. Dispersion Relation, Rays, Wavefronts, and Energy Transport
    5. E. Double Refraction
  4. 6.4 OPTICAL ACTIVITY AND MAGNETO-OPTICS
    1. A. Optical Activity
    2. B. Magneto-Optics: The Faraday Effect
  5. 6.5 OPTICS OF LIQUID CRYSTALS
  6. 6.6 POLARIZATION DEVICES
    1. A. Polarizers
    2. B. Wave Retarders
    3. C. Polarization Rotators
    4. D. Nonreciprocal Polarization Devices
Image described by caption.

The French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) put forth a transverse wave theory of light. Equations describing the partial reflection and refraction of light are named in his honor. Fresnel also made important contributions to the theory of light diffraction.

Image described by caption.

Sir George Gabriel Stokes (1819–1903), an Irish mathematician and physicist, developed a description of light that encompasses intensity as well as state of polarization. He also made seminal contributions to wave optics, fluorescence, and optical aberrations.

The polarization of light at a given position in space is determined by the path taken by its electric-field vector ε(r,t) in time. In a simple medium, this ...

Get Fundamentals of Photonics, 2 Volume Set, 3rd Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial