Physics · Ch 6 — Optics
Polarisation by Reflection
Polarisation by Reflection
The simplest method of producing plane polarised light is by reflection. An unpolarised beam incident on a reflecting glass surface splits into a reflected beam and a refracted beam ; examining with an analyser shows it is, in general, only partially plane polarised. At one particular angle of incidence, however, the reflected beam is found to be completely plane polarised …
What this figure shows. An unpolarised beam AB strikes a reflecting glass surface XY; part of the light continues into the glass as a refracted beam, and part reflects away as the beam BC. Examining the reflected beam BC with an analyser shows it is, in general, only partially plane polarised; but at one specific angle of incidence, the polarising angle i(p), the reflected beam BC becomes completely plane polarised, with all its vibrations restricted to the dire …