Poincare sphere and Degree of polarization

In summary, the Poincare sphere is a way of representing the state of polarization of electromagnetic fields using a 4-component Stokes vector. The point on the sphere corresponds to the degree of polarization, with fully polarized light lying on the surface and partially polarized light lying within. The relationship between the Poincare Sphere and the degree of polarization is that the former is a way of visualizing the latter, with the Jones matrices being used for completely polarized light.
  • #1
Madara
7
0
Hi,

Can someone explain the concept of "Poincare sphere"? What's the relationship between the Poincare Sphere and the Degree of polarization of EM fields?

Thanks
Madara
 
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  • #2
The Poicare sphere is a way of describing the 4-component Stokes vector:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization (about 1/2-way down)

The state of polarization is represented by a point on the sphere. Note: for fully polarized light, S_0 = 1 and the point lies on the surface of the sphere; partially polarized light has S_0<1 and so the point lies within the sphere.

Going from the Stokes formulation to the Jones formulation can be a little tricky:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes_vector

Since the Stokes/Mueller forumlation is inherently statistical in nature, while the Jones matrices only hold for completely polarized light.

Does that help?
 
  • #3
Thanks Andy. I will refer the wikipedia for more info.
 

What is a Poincare sphere and how is it used in polarization analysis?

The Poincare sphere is a geometric representation of the state of polarization of light. It is commonly used in polarization analysis to visualize and analyze the polarization properties of light, such as the degree of polarization. It is a useful tool in understanding and characterizing the polarization of light in various applications, including optics and telecommunications.

What is the relationship between the Poincare sphere and the degree of polarization?

The Poincare sphere and the degree of polarization are closely related. The Poincare sphere can be used to represent the degree of polarization of a light beam, with the equator representing fully polarized light and the poles representing unpolarized light. The distance from the center of the sphere to a point on the sphere's surface represents the degree of polarization, with a larger distance indicating a higher degree of polarization.

How is the degree of polarization calculated using the Poincare sphere?

The degree of polarization can be calculated using the Poincare sphere by measuring the distance from the center of the sphere to a point on its surface, as mentioned before. This distance can be determined by measuring the intensities of the orthogonal components of the electric field, such as the horizontal and vertical components. The degree of polarization is then given by the ratio of the difference between these intensities and their sum.

What are the applications of the Poincare sphere and degree of polarization in science and technology?

The Poincare sphere and degree of polarization have various applications in science and technology. For example, they are used in telecommunications to analyze and optimize the polarization of light in optical fibers. They are also used in optical microscopy to study the polarization properties of biological samples. In addition, the Poincare sphere and degree of polarization are important tools in remote sensing and atmospheric science, where they can be used to analyze the polarization of light reflected or scattered by various objects and surfaces.

Are there any limitations or drawbacks to using the Poincare sphere and degree of polarization for polarization analysis?

While the Poincare sphere and degree of polarization are powerful tools for polarization analysis, they do have some limitations. One limitation is that they are only applicable to completely polarized or unpolarized light. They cannot accurately represent partially polarized light. Additionally, the Poincare sphere can only represent the polarization state of light with two orthogonal components, and cannot be used for more complex polarization states. Finally, the measurement of the degree of polarization using the Poincare sphere may be affected by noise and errors in the measurement of the orthogonal components of the electric field.

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