Linear polarization: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Electromagnetic radiation special case}}

{{short description|Confinement of the electric field vector or magnetic field vector to a given plane along the direction of propagation}}

{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}

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[[File:Linear polarization schematic.png|162px|thumb|right|Diagram of the electric field of a light wave (blue), linear-polarized along a plane (purple line), and consisting of two orthogonal, in-phase components (red and green waves)]]

In [[electrodynamics]], '''linear polarization''' or '''plane polarization''' of [[electromagnetic radiation]] is a confinement of the [[electric field]] vector or [[magnetic field]] vector to a given plane along the direction of propagation. The term ''linear polarization'' (French: ''polarisation rectiligne'') was coined by [[Augustin-Jean Fresnel]] in 1822.<ref name=fresnel-1822z>A. Fresnel, "Mémoire sur la double réfraction que les rayons lumineux éprouvent en traversant les aiguilles de cristal de roche suivant les directions parallèles à l'axe", read 9&nbsp;December 1822; printed in H.&nbsp;de Senarmont, E.&nbsp;Verdet, and L.&nbsp;Fresnel (eds.), ''Oeuvres complètes d'Augustin Fresnel'', vol.&nbsp;1 (1866), pp.{{nnbsp}}731–51; translated as "Memoir on the double refraction that light rays undergo in traversing the needles of quartz in the directions parallel to the axis", {{Zenodo|4745976}}, 2021 (open&nbsp;access); §9.</ref> See ''[[Polarization (waves)|polarization]]'' and ''[[plane of polarization]]'' for more information.

The orientation of a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave is defined by the direction of the [[electric field]] vector.<ref name="Shapira,">{{cite book

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The [[Classical physics|classical]] [[sinusoidal]] plane wave solution of the [[electromagnetic wave equation]] for the [[Electric field|electric]] and [[Magnetic field|magnetic]] fields is (cgs units)

:<math> \mathbf{E} ( \mathbf{r} , t ) = \mid|\mathbf{E}\mid| \mathrm{Re} \left \{ |\psi\rangle \exp \left [ i \left ( kz-\omega t \right ) \right ] \right \} </math>

:<math> \mathbf{B} ( \mathbf{r} , t ) = \hat { \mathbf{z} } \times \mathbf{E} ( \mathbf{r} , t )/c </math>

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==External links==

* [https://empossible.net/academics/emp3302/ Topic 6 - Electromagnetic Waves (see video on EM wave polarization)]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDwqUgDFe94 Animation of Linear Polarization (on YouTube) ]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0qrU4nprB0 Comparison of Linear Polarization with Circular and Elliptical Polarizations (YouTube Animation)]