Polarization (waves)

property of waves that can oscillate with more than one orientation

moving wave that consists of oscillations occurring perpendicular (right angled) to the direction of energy transfer (or the propagation of the wave)

right|thumb|A calcite crystal laid upon a graph paper with blue lines showing the double refraction right|thumb|In this example, optic axis along the surface is shown perpendicular to plane of incidence. Incoming light in the polarization (which means perpendicular to plane of incidence – and so in this example becomes "parallel polarisation" to optic axis, thus is called extraordinary ray) sees a greater refractive index than light in the polarization (which becomes ordinary ray because "perpendicular polarisation" to optic axis) and so polarization ray is undergoing greater refraction on ent

geometric property of some molecules and ions

physical law

angle of incidence for which all reflected light will be polarized

thumb|right|A polarizing filter cuts down the reflections (top) and makes it possible to see a photographer through the glass at roughly Brewster's angle although reflections off the back window of the car are not cut because they are less-strongly polarized, according to the [[Fresnel equations.]]

optical polarizer made of two birefrengent calcite crystals

rotation of the plane of linearly polarized light as it travels through a chiral material

change in refractive index of a material in response to an applied electric field

upright=1.5|thumb|Operating principle of an optical polarimeter. 1. Light source 2. Unpolarized light 3. Linear polarizer 4. [[Linearly polarized light 5. Sample tube containing chiral molecules under study 6. Optical rotation due to molecules 7. Rotatable linear analyzer 8. Detector]]

equations of light transmission and reflection

Polarizability usually refers to the tendency of matter, when subjected to an electric field, to acquire an electric dipole moment in proportion to that applied field. It is a property of particles with an electric charge. When subject to an electric field, the negatively charged electrons and positively charged atomic nuclei are subject to opposite forces and undergo charge separation. Polarizability is responsible for a material's dielectric constant and, at high (optical) frequencies, its refractive index.

transparent variety of calcite

thumb|right|upright|Synthetic aperture radar image of [[Death Valley colored using polarimetry.]]

[[Image:Waveplate.png|thumb|300px|

dichroism involving circularly polarized light.

appearance or change of birefringence in an optical medium by an applied electric field

thumb|right|lampworking|Lampworked [[dichroic glass bead]] In optics, a dichroic material refers to: a material which causes visible light to be split up into two distinct beams of different wavelengths (colours), one of which is reflected and one of which is transmitted (not to be confused with dispersion), or a material in which light rays having different polarization directions are absorbed differently.

type of polarizer

visible effect of polarised light

birefringence-free direction of light transmission

polarization state

ancient navigational aid

system for describing optical polarization

confinement of the electric field vector or magnetic field vector to a given plane along the direction of propagation

optical filter

type of polarizing prism

improved air-spaced calcite polarizer design

system for describing optical polarization

polarization of electromagnetic radiation

type of polarizer

characteristic change in optical rotatory dispersion and/or circular dichroism in the vicinity of an absorption band of a substance

Physical phenomenon

The optical properties of rocks and minerals

type of polarizer

term

optically active material

type of polarizer

Physical phenomenon of spin-polarization

method of measuring the dispersion of an optically active molecule to determine the relative magnitude of right- or left-handed components, and some structural features of the molecule

Optical prism

aspect of crystal optics

form of modal dispersion

property of light waves that describes the orientation of their oscillations

type of polarizer

Herapathite, or iodoquinine sulfate, is a chemical compound whose crystals are dichroic and thus can be used for polarizing light.