The simple description is that a photon can be left or right circularly polarized. A left polarized photon has helicity +1 and a right polarized photon has helicity -1. The reason for left being associated with + helicity is that circular polarization in optics is defined by looking at the oncoming light, while the helicity is the spin angular momentum in the direction of the photons momentum.emma83 said:Can somebody explain me what are precisely the polarization vectors of a photon and how they relate to the photon's momentum and helicity ?
A polarization vector is a mathematical representation of the polarization state of a beam of light. It describes the direction and magnitude of the oscillating electric field of the light wave.
Momentum and helicity are two properties of polarization vectors that are mathematically related. Momentum describes the direction and magnitude of the linear momentum of the light wave, while helicity describes the direction of the angular momentum of the light wave.
Momentum and helicity are important in understanding the behavior of light waves. They can affect the way light interacts with matter and can also be used to differentiate between different types of light, such as circularly polarized and linearly polarized light.
Polarization vectors are typically represented using complex numbers or matrices in mathematical equations. The magnitude and direction of the vector are described by the real and imaginary components of the complex number or the elements of the matrix.
Yes, polarization vectors can be used to manipulate light waves. By changing the direction and magnitude of the polarization vector, the polarization state of the light wave can be altered, allowing for various applications such as polarization filters or optical tweezers.