3305 Polarization

The direction of polarization of a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave is the direction of the E⃗\vec{E} field. A polarizing filter passes waves that are linearly polarized along its polarizing axis and blocks waves polarized perpendicularl to that axis. When polarized light of intensity ImaxI_{max} is incident on a polarizing filter used as an analyzer, the intensity II of the light transmitted through the analyzer depends on the angle ϕ\phi between the polarization direction of the incident light and the polarizing axis of the analyzer.

Malus's Law

I=Imaxcos⁡2ϕ\begin{aligned} I = I_{max} \cos^2 \phi \end{aligned}