Polarizer Setup: How Does Rotating Change Polarization?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the effect of rotating a polarizer setup consisting of three mirrors on the polarization of an outgoing laser beam. The setup includes two adjacent mirrors positioned at 30 degrees and a third mirror centered above them, reflecting a HeNe laser beam. It is established that reflection partially polarizes light, specifically perpendicular to the plane formed by the incident and reflected beams, allowing unpolarized light to become polarized upon reflection. The inquiry centers on understanding how the rotation of the entire setup influences the polarization state of the outgoing beam.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of optical polarization concepts
  • Familiarity with laser types, specifically Helium-Neon (HeNe) lasers
  • Knowledge of mirror reflection principles
  • Basic geometry related to angles of incidence and reflection
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the principles of light polarization and its applications in optics
  • Explore the behavior of polarized light in reflection and refraction
  • Research the characteristics and applications of HeNe lasers
  • Learn about the design and function of optical setups involving mirrors
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for optical engineers, physicists, and students studying optics, particularly those interested in the behavior of polarized light and laser applications.

scarecrow
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http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/9050/polarizerya6.jpg

I apologize for my bad sketch.

Hi,

I need help understanding how this setup changes the polarization of the outgoing beam if the entire setup is rotated.

There are 3 mirrors (gold): 2 mirrors are adjacent and set at 30 degrees, and the third mirror is directly centered above the first 2 mirrors. The laser beam strikes the first mirror (left) at the center, then strikes the center of the top mirror, and finally propagates to the third mirror and gets reflected out.

The laser beam I'm using to test this home-made polarizer is a basic HeNe laser.

Question: How can an incident unpolarized light become polarized outgoing by rotating the entire setup? (All three mirrors are connected to the same aluminum module).

I can only see how POLARIZED (s or p) light can work with this setup, but not unpolarized light. Is the laser beam in fact polarized?

Thanks.
 
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Reflection partially polarizes light perpendicular to the plane formed by the incident and reflected beam.
 

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