Polarized Light - Chabot-Las Positas Community College District偏振光-博Las Positas区社区学院.pdf

Polarized Light • Vectors – what they are and how they apply to light waves • Linearly polarized light – Vertical, horizontal, other directions – Components of linear polarization in other directions – Law of Malus and linear polarizers • Circular and elliptical polarization • Unpolarized light – Random polarization • Production of polarized light • Birefringence and crystals – waveplates Vectors • Many physical quantities have both a strength (magnitude) and a direction – velocity (magnitude is speed), force, electric field • Objects with a strength and direction are called vectors – symbolized by an arrow with length of arrow indicating direction – sometimes location of base of arrow is significant (where a force is applied) other times only the strength and direction are important Force applied by support velocity Force of gravity Addition (or superposition) of vectors • More than one vector of the same type can act on one object (e.g. several forces) – In this case, vectors must be added • Vectors are added by placing the tail of the second vector at the tip of the first – result is the vector from the tail of the first to the tip of the second – same result is obtained if first and second vector are reversed – vectors to be added called components, sum called resultant Resultant vector Blue vector added first Red vector