Can circularly polarized light interfere with linearly polarized

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on whether circularly polarized light can interfere with linearly polarized light, exploring the conditions necessary for such interference, including coherence and the nature of the light sources involved.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that circularly polarized light can be viewed as the coherent sum of two orthogonal, linearly polarized waves that are 90 degrees out of phase, suggesting that interference can occur with one of these components.
  • Another participant emphasizes that the two beams must originate from splitting a single beam to ensure coherence.
  • A follow-up question challenges the necessity of splitting a single beam, inquiring whether coherent beams from different identical sources could also suffice.
  • In response, a participant argues that coherence is not the central issue, suggesting that using Jones calculus demonstrates that a circularly polarized wave and a linearly polarized wave can interfere if they overlap spatially.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity of coherence and the conditions under which interference can occur, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion involves assumptions about coherence and the definitions of polarization types, which may not be fully resolved.

Albert V
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Can circularly polarized light interfere with linearly polarized light?
 
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Yes. You can think of circularly polarized light as the coherent sum of two orthogonal, linearly polarized waves that are 90 degrees out of phase. So the other linearly polarized wave will interfere with one of the components.
 


The two beams would have to come from splitting single beam.
 


clem said:
The two beams would have to come from splitting single beam.

Why ?
 


The two interfering beams must be coherent. Two independent beams would have incoherent phase relations.
 


clem said:
The two interfering beams must be coherent. Two independent beams would have incoherent phase relations.

They can be coherent and belong to different identical sources ?
 


Coherence is a bit of a red herring here. Do the Jones calculus and you can see quite clearly that a CP wave and a LP wave can interfere (or indeed, must interfere if they overlap spatially).

Claude.
 

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