Birefringence

Outline
•  Polarized Light (Linear & Circular)
•  Birefringent Materials
•  Quarter-Wave Plate & Half-Wave Plate

Reading: Ch 8.5 in Kong and Shen

1
 True / False

1. The plasma frequency ωp is the frequency above

which a material becomes a plasma.

 -field of this wave is 1

2.  The magnitude of the E

 = (x̂ + ŷ)ej(ωt−kz)
E
3. The wave above is polarized 45o with respect
to the x-axis.

2
Microscopic Lorentz Oscillator Model

kspring
ωo2 =
m

ωo ωp
3
 Sinusoidal Uniform Plane Waves
Ey = A1 cos(ωt − kz)

EEyx==AA12cos(ωt
cos(ωt−−kz)
kz)

4
  
45° Polarization Ex (z, t) = x̂Re Ẽo ej(ωt−kz)

E  
Ey  Ey (z, t) = ŷRe Ẽo ej(ωt−kz)
E
Ex
Ey  ŷ
E
Ex
Ex 
E x̂ The complex
Ey 
E amplitude,
Ex Ẽo ,is the
 same for
E both
Ey
components.


E Therefore Ex
Ex ẑ and Ey are
always in

E Ey
phase.
Ex
Where is the magnetic field?

E Ey

5
Superposition of Sinusoidal Uniform Plane Waves

Can it only be at 45o ?

6
Arbitrary-Angle Linear Polarization

E-field variation
over time
y (and space)

Here, the y-component is in phase

with the x-component, x
but has different magnitude.

7
Arbitrary-Angle Linear Polarization

Specifically:
0° linear (x) polarization: Ey /Ex = 0
90° linear (y) polarization: Ey /Ex = ∞
45° linear polarization: Ey /Ex = 1
Arbitrary linear polarization: E /E = constant
y x

8
 Circular (or Helical) Polarization ŷ

Ex (z, t) = x̂E˜o sin(ωt − kz) Ey


E
Ey (z, t) = ŷ E˜o cos(ωt − kz) x̂
… or, more generally, Ex
Ex (z, t) = x̂Re{−j E˜o ej(ωt−kz) }
Ey (z, t) = ŷRe{j E˜o ej(ωt−kz) }

The complex amplitude of the x- 

E ẑ
component is -j times the complex
amplitude of the
y-component.
The resulting E-field rotates
counterclockwise around the
Ex and Ey are always propagation-vector
90




 (looking along z-axis).

If projected on a constant z plane the

E-field vector would rotate clockwise !!!

9
 Right vs. Left Circular (or Helical) Polarization

Ex (z, t) = −x̂E˜o sin(ωt − kz) E-field variation

Ey (z, t) = ŷ E˜o cos(ωt − kz) over time
(at z = 0) ŷ
… or, more generally,

Ex (z, t) = x̂Re{+j E˜o ej(ωt−kz } x̂

Ey (z, t) = ŷRe{j E˜o ej(ωt−kz) }

Here, the complex amplitude

of the x-component is +j times
the complex amplitude of the
y-component.
The resulting E-field rotates
clockwise around the
So the components are always propagation-vector
90









(looking along z-axis).
 

If projected on a constant z plane the E-field

vector would rotate counterclockwise !!!

10
 Unequal arbitrary-relative-phase components
yield elliptical polarization
Ex (z, t) = x̂Eox cos(ωt − kz) E-field variation
over time ŷ
Ey (z, t) = ŷEoy cos(ωt − kz − θ) (and space)

where

x̂
… or, more generally,

Ex (z, t) = x̂Re{Eox ej(ωt−kz) }

Ey (z, t) = ŷRe{Eoy ej(ωt−kz−θ) }

The resulting E-field can
rotate clockwise or counter-
clockwise around the k-vector
… where are arbitrary (looking along k).
complex amplitudes

11
Sinusoidal Uniform Plane Waves

Left IEEE Definitions: Right

12
A linearly polarized wave can be represented
as a sum of two circularly polarized waves

13
 A linearly polarized wave can be represented
as a sum of two circularly polarized waves

Ex (z, t) = x̂E˜o sin(ωt − kz) Ex (z, t) = −x̂E˜o sin(ωt − kz)

Ey (z, t) = ŷ E˜o cos(ωt − kz)
Ey (z, t) = ŷ E˜o cos(ωt − kz)

CIRCULAR LINEAR CIRCULAR

14
 Polarizers for Linear and Circular Polarizations

CASE 1:
CASE 2:
Linearly polarized light with
magnitude Eo oriented 45o Circularly polarized light with
with respect to the x-axis. magnitude Eo .

Sin = Eo2 /(2η) Sin = Eo2 /η

Wire grid
polarizer

Sout = Eo2 /(4η) Sout = Eo2 /(2η)

What is the average power at the input and output?
15
 Today
s Culture Moment

Image is in the public domain.

vision

16
 Anisotropic Material

The molecular
"spring constant" can
be different for
different directions

If ,
then the material has
a single optics axis
and is called
uniaxial crystal

17
 Microscopic Lorentz Oscillator Model

In the transparent regime

… yi xi

xr
yr

18
 Uniaxial Crystal
Optic
axis Uniaxial crystals have one
refractive index for light
polarized along the optic axis (ne)

Extraordinary and another for light polarized in

polarizations either of the two directions
perpendicular to it (no).

Ordinary
Light polarized along the optic axis
polarizations is called the extraordinary ray,

and light polarized perpendicular to

it is called the ordinary ray.
Ordinary…
These polarization directions are
the crystal principal axes.
Extraordinary…

19
 Birefringent Materials

o-ray

no e-ray

ne

Image by Arenamotanus http://www.flickr.com/photos/

arenamontanus/2756010517/ on flickr

All transparent crystals with non-cubic lattice structure are birefringent.

20
 Polarization Conversion
Linear to Circular

inside

Polarization of output wave is determined by…

21
 Quarter-Wave Plate
Circularly polarized output
left circular ŷ
output

E
x̂
45o
Ey λ/4

Ex
fast axis

linearly polarized
input

Example:

If we are to make quarter-wave plate using calcite (no = 1.6584, ne = 1.4864),

for incident light wavelength of = 590 nm, how thick would the plate be ?
dcalcite QWP = (590nm/4) / (no-ne) = 858 nm

22
 Half-Wave Plate
The phase difference between the waves linearly polarized
parallel and perpendicular to the optic axis is a half cycle

Optic
axis

45o

LINEAR IN  LINEAR OUT

23
Key Takeaways ŷ
Ey
EM Waves can be linearly, circularly, or 
elliptically polarized.
E x̂
A circularly polarized wave can be represented
Ex
as a sum of two linearly polarized waves having
π/2 phase shift.
A linearly polarized wave can be represented as
a sum of two circularly polarized waves. 
E Circular
Polarization
In the general case, waves are elliptically
polarized.

Waveplates can be made from birefringent materials:

Quarter wave plate: λ/4 = (no − ne )d (gives π/2 phase shift)

Half wave plate: λ/2 = (no − ne )d (gives π phase shift)

24
MIT OpenCourseWare
http://ocw.mit.edu

6.007 Electromagnetic Energy: From Motors to Lasers

Spring 2011

For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: http://ocw.mit.edu/terms.