In a polarized state, light waves vibrate in only one direction or plane that is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
Here’s how it works:
- Light is an electromagnetic wave, consisting of oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
- In unpolarized light, these vibrations occur in many random directions perpendicular to the direction the light travels.
- In polarized light, the vibrations of the electric field are restricted to a single plane.
For example:
- If light passes through a polarizing filter, only the waves vibrating in the direction aligned with the filter’s axis will pass through.
- The result is light that vibrates in a single plane — this is called linearly polarized light.
Types of polarization:
- Linear polarization: Vibrations occur in one plane.
- Circular polarization: The electric field rotates in a circle as the wave travels.
- Elliptical polarization: A more general form where the tip of the electric field describes an ellipse.