Interference of light (perpendicular plains)

In summary: You need to look at the link again. This polarisation thing takes a bit of getting used to - time and distance are involved with waves and it isn't obvious.But if the two waves are in phase, their maxima will occur at the same time at the same point in space. That will produce a 'diagonal' vector and the vector will always lie in that diagonal plane, going through a zero and then a max in the other direction. That is plane polarisation and the p[lane is 450 to each of the original polarisation planes.. The two waves need to be 900 out of phase so that the resultant follows that spiral path - shown in one of the diagrams in the link. The maxes and
  • #1
Pagowen
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5
Hi,

Apologies if this is a really basic question, but I'm not a physicist by training. I was wondering how two waves of plane-polarised light will interfere if they have equal intensity, are completely in phase, but their planes of oscillation are perpendicular to one another?
 
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  • #2
Hello and welcome to PF. Not a bad question, at all, actually.
There will be a resultant of the addition of the two waves. The E field vectors will add together, according to the phases of each and the resultant, at any point, will be a new vector, in a different plane from the two planes you started with. According to the phases and amplitudes of the two sources, the resultant may have plane polarisation (in phase addition) or elliptical polarisation (sorry- a new idea, perhaps- but it's what you get when the two are not in phase).
It's hard to recommend a suitable link for you, as I don't know your level of knowledge but http://www.ece.mcmaster.ca/faculty/nikolova/4FJ4_downloads/lectures/L04_Polarization.pdf could be interesting as it has some good diagrams in it.
Many VHF f.m. sound transmissions (in the UK, at least) use circular or mixed polarisation and it is often achieved using a mixture of VP and HP transmitting aerials - which is just what your question is about, am.
 
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  • #3
sophiecentaur said:
Hello and welcome to PF. Not a bad question, at all, actually.
There will be a resultant of the addition of the two waves. The E field vectors will add together, according to the phases of each and the resultant, at any point, will be a new vector, in a different plane from the two planes you started with. According to the phases and amplitudes of the two sources, the resultant may have plane polarisation (in phase addition) or elliptical polarisation (sorry- a new idea, perhaps- but it's what you get when the two are not in phase).
It's hard to recommend a suitable link for you, as I don't know your level of knowledge but http://www.ece.mcmaster.ca/faculty/nikolova/4FJ4_downloads/lectures/L04_Polarization.pdf could be interesting as it has some good diagrams in it.
Many VHF f.m. sound transmissions (in the UK, at least) use circular or mixed polarisation and it is often achieved using a mixture of VP and HP transmitting aerials - which is just what your question is about, am.

Thanks for the reply! I'm currently looking over the slides in the link. I think I get it, but will just have to read through to make sure. One question, though: by plane polarisation, do you mean circular? Based on what I've just read in the link, won't two perpendicular light vectors with identical amplitude and phase interfere to produce circular polarlisation?
 
  • #4
Pagowen said:
Thanks for the reply! I'm currently looking over the slides in the link. I think I get it, but will just have to read through to make sure. One question, though: by plane polarisation, do you mean circular? Based on what I've just read in the link, won't two perpendicular light vectors with identical amplitude and phase interfere to produce circular polarlisation?

You need to look at the link again. This polarisation thing takes a bit of getting used to - time and distance are involved with waves and it isn't obvious.
But if the two waves are in phase, their maxima will occur at the same time at the same point in space. That will produce a 'diagonal' vector and the vector will always lie in that diagonal plane, going through a zero and then a max in the other direction. That is plane polarisation and the p[lane is 450 to each of the original polarisation planes.. The two waves need to be 900 out of phase so that the resultant follows that spiral path - shown in one of the diagrams in the link. The maxes and zeros never coincide so the resultant vector is always the same amplitude but traces out a spiral of ' unit' radius. (Never passes through zero amplitude.) See the equation at the bottom of page 17 on the link. There is a π/2 constant in the second contribution. That means 900 phase difference.
It may just be worth while (if your co-ordination is up to it lol) to try waving your hands about to simulate the two waves and then visualise their resultant. I just tried it (no one was watching!) and I think it made sense to me. But then again, I do know the answer already.
 
  • #5


Hello,

No need to apologize, it's great that you're curious about this topic! The interference of light is a fundamental concept in physics that has many applications in various fields, such as optics and quantum mechanics.

To answer your question, when two waves of plane-polarized light with equal intensity and completely in phase interfere with each other, their planes of oscillation being perpendicular to one another will result in what is known as "crossed polarization interference." This means that the waves will interfere destructively, resulting in a decrease in the overall intensity of the light.

This phenomenon is due to the fact that when two waves are perpendicular to each other, they cannot reinforce each other's amplitudes, as their oscillations are out of phase. Instead, they cancel each other out, resulting in a decrease in the overall amplitude and intensity of the light.

This type of interference is commonly observed in polarized sunglasses, where the light passing through the lenses is polarized in one direction, but the reflected light from a surface is polarized in a perpendicular direction, causing a decrease in glare.

I hope this helps to answer your question. If you have any further inquiries, please don't hesitate to ask. Keep exploring and questioning the world around you!
 

What is the concept of interference of light?

The interference of light is a phenomenon that occurs when two or more light waves interact with each other. This interaction can result in constructive or destructive interference, which can change the intensity or pattern of the resulting light wave.

How does interference of light occur in perpendicular planes?

In perpendicular planes, interference of light occurs when two light waves with perpendicular polarizations intersect. This results in a complex pattern of interference, with regions of constructive and destructive interference depending on the relative phases of the two waves.

What is the difference between constructive and destructive interference in perpendicular planes?

Constructive interference occurs when two light waves with perpendicular polarizations are in phase, resulting in a stronger and brighter light wave. Destructive interference, on the other hand, occurs when the two waves are out of phase, resulting in a weaker or even canceled out light wave.

How does the distance between the light sources affect interference of light in perpendicular planes?

The distance between the light sources can greatly impact the interference pattern in perpendicular planes. The closer the sources are to each other, the more complex and varied the interference pattern will be. However, as the distance between the sources increases, the interference pattern will become more regular and predictable.

What are some real-life applications of interference of light in perpendicular planes?

Interference of light in perpendicular planes has many practical applications, such as in optical filters, polarizing lenses, and interferometers used in research and industry. It is also the basis for techniques such as holography and optical data storage.

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