Lecture 23, ACT 3

• Light of intensity I0,polarized along the x direction is incident on a quarter-wave plate (fast axis= y-axis) and a linear polarizer as shown.

  • What is the relation between I1, the intensity at the exit of the system, in terms of I0?

(c)

• What is the relation between I2 , the final intensity when the fast axis makes an angle q = 45° with the x-axis, in terms of I0?

E

0

q

I=I

0

I

2

=??

TA

z

x

y

f

s

(c)

(a)

(b)

• The fast and slow components are attenuated independently since they are out of phase!

E

0

I=I

0

I

1

=??

TA

z

x

y

f

s

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