The phenomenon that the spatial distribution of photoelectric vector vibration of light wave loses symmetry with respect to the propagation direction of light is called polarization of light.
Only shear waves can produce polarization, so the polarization of light is another example of light fluctuation. In the plane perpendicular to the propagation direction, including all possible directions of lateral vibration.
On average, it has the same amplitude in any direction. Light whose transverse vibration and propagation direction are symmetrical is called natural light (unpolarized light). All light that loses this symmetry in vibration is called polarized light.
Extended data:
Polarization in other scientific fields:
Light wave is an electromagnetic wave. Many common optical substances are isotropic, such as glass.
These substances will keep the polarization state of waves unchanged and will not show different physical behaviors because of different polarization States. However, some important birefringent substances or optically active substances are anisotropic.
Therefore, the wave propagation changes with the polarization direction, or the polarization direction of the wave will change.
Polarizer is a kind of filter, which can only let light waves polarized in a certain direction pass through, so it can change unpolarized light into polarized light.
Polarization is an important parameter in scientific fields involving shear wave propagation, such as optics, seismology, radio science and microwave science.
Laser, optical fiber communication, wireless communication, radar and other application technologies need to deal with the polarization problem well.
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