Light is entering a polarizer or set of polarizers from the left. Determine the

Question

Light is entering a polarizer or set of polarizers from the left. Determine the relative intensity of the light exiting on the right after passing through all of the polarizers. The dashed vertical lines represent the vertical reference. The solid lines represent either the polarization angle of the light or the transmission angle of the polarizer. CW represents clockwise and CCW represents counterclockwise as viewed from the right looking back to the left along the path of the light. Vertically polarized light enters from the left and passes first through a polarizer oriented 45°CW from the vertical and the through a polarizer oriented 45° CW.

Full Intensity Partial Intensity Zero Intensity  Vertically polarized light passes through a polarizer with the transmission axis oriented 90° relative to the vertical and then through a second polarizer oriented vertically

Unpolarized light enters from the left and passes first through a polarizer oriented 45°CCW from the vertical and the through a polarizer oriented 45° CW.

Full Intensity Partial Intensity Zero Intensity  Linearly polarized light polarized at an angle 45°CCW from the vertical passes through one polarizer with the transmission axis oriented 45° CCW relative to the vertical and then through a second polarizer with the transmission axis oriented 45° CCW relative to the vertical.

Explanation / Answer

Let I0: intensity of vertically polarized light, ?1 =450, ?2=00(angle between transmission line of second polarizer w.r.t first polarizer)

Intensity of polarized light passing through 1st polarizer

I1=I0cos2?1

= I0cos2450=0.5 I0

Intensity of polarized light passing through 2nd polarizer

I2=I1cos2 ?2

=I1cos200 = I1

=0.5 I0 (Partial Intensity )

?1=900, ?2=900 (second polarizer w.r.t first)

I1=I0cos2?1

= I0cos2900=0

I2=I1cos2 ?2

=I1cos200

= I1=0 (Zero Intensity)

(C)                Unpolarized light enters from the left and passes first through a polarizer oriented 45°CCW from the vertical and the through a polarizer oriented 45° CW.

I0: intensity of unpolarized light

?1= -450, ?2=1800

Intensity of unpolarized light passing through a polarizer:

I1=I0/2

I2=I1cos2?2

= I0cos21800

= I1= I0/2 (Partial Intensity)

Based on the previous solutions the light passing through the second polarizer will have full intensity.

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