Elliptical polarization: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:35, 10 September 2008

Revision as of 01:52, 22 November 2008

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:<math> |\psi\rangle \ \stackrel{\mathrm{def}}{=}\ \begin{pmatrix} \psi_x \\ \psi_y \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} \cos\theta \exp \left ( i \alpha_x \right ) \\ \sin\theta \exp \left ( i \alpha_y \right ) \end{pmatrix} </math>

is the [[Jones vector]] in the x-y plane. HereThe <math>axes of \thetathe ellipse have lengths </math> is an\sqrt{\tfrac{1 angle- thatsin(2\theta)cos(\alpha_x determines- the\alpha_y tilt+ ofpi/2)}{2}}, the ellipse and <math>\sqrt{\tfrac{1 + sin(2\theta)cos(\alpha_x - \alpha_y + pi/2)}{2}} </math> determines the aspect ratio of the ellipse. If <math> \alpha_x </math> and <math> \alpha_y </math> are equal the wave is [[linear polarization | linearly polarized]]. If they differ by <math>\pi/2\,</math> they are [[circular polarization | circularly polarized]].

==See also==