Summary so far.

E y2 Ex2 E y
cos = sin 2
Ex
+ 2
E0 y 2 E0x2 E0x E0 y

2
= ( o ~ E )d

1. = 0 , 2 , 4 ,6 ,..... = 2 n or
= 0 , ,3 ,5 ,..... = ( 2 n + 1)

The emergent ray will be linearly polarized light.

3 5
= , , ,..... = (2n + 1)
2. 2 2 2 2
The emergent ray will be circularly polarized if is 450 otherwise
elliptically polarized light.

Note: =+ve for RCP or REP and =-ve for LCP or LEP
 RETARDERS
Optical
O i l devices
d i which
hi h introduce
i d a phase
h diff
difference b
between e- andd o-
rays. These are in the form of plates of doubly refracting crystal cut
in such a way that optic axis is parallel to the refracting surfaces.

( E ~ o )d =

i.e. =
4 2
Quarter wave plate,
plate produces
circularly and elliptically
polarized light

( E ~ o )d = i.e. =
2
Quarter wave plate, produces
li
linearly
l polarized
l i d light
li h
 PRODUCTION OF POLARIZED LIGHT
1. Plane polarized light:
Un-polarized light Plane ppolarized light
g

2. Circularly polarized light:

Un-polarized light Plane polarized light

Vibration makes 450
angle with optic axis.
3. Elliptically polarized light: QWP

Elliptically
p y
polarized

Un polarized light
Un-polarized Plane polarized light
Vibration makes angle other
than 450.
 ANALYSIS OF POLARIZED LIGHT

1. Plane polarized light:

2. Circularly polarized light:

No variation in - It may be a un
intensity. polarized or
- It may be a circularly
polarized light
If variation in intensity is like
plane
l polarized
l i d light
li ht original
i i l
light is circularly polarized.
QWP Otherwise, original light is
un-polarized.
3. Elliptically polarized light:

Variation of intensityy - It may be a partially

from a maximum to polarized or
minimum - It may be an elliptically
polarized light

If variation in intensity is like

plane polarized light original
light is circularly polarized.
QWP Otherwise, original
g light
g is
un-polarized.
 Quest: What about superposition of two circularly polarized light (RCP and
LCP) beams with same amplitude and wavelength.
Anyplanepolarizedlightwavecanbeobtainedasasuperpositionofaleftcircularly
polarizedandarightcircularlypolarizedlightwave,whoseamplitudeisidentical.
l i d d i ht i l l l i d li ht h lit d i id ti l
ThisisthebaseofFresnelstheoryofopticalrotation
Try it mathematically too
Quartz Crystal; Choose optic axes
perpendic lar to refracting surface
perpendicular s rface

Optic Axes

Along optic axis ordinary ray and extra ordinary rays travel
alongg the Same direction and with same velocityy means
refractive index of ordinary ray and extraordinary ray are same.
 Quartz is an optically active material. First time
experimentally observed by Arago in 1811.
1811

=00

Observation: In the absence of Quartz, I=0.

In the presence of quartz, I is not zero.
Concl sion: Plane polarized
Conclusion: polari ed light is rotated because
beca se of quartz
q art

Note: In quartz, when optic axis is perpendicular to refracting

face then only we can observe the rotation of PP light other -
wise it will act just as a wave plate which produce phase
difference in e-ray and o-ray.
Quartz is an optically active material. First time
experimentally observed by Arago in 1811.
1811

Quartz plate
Two Crossed Nicol
polarizer analyser

I


Observation: In the absence of Quartz, I=0.
In the presence of quartz, I is not zero.
Concl sion: Plane polarized
Conclusion: polari ed light is rotated because
beca se of quartz
q art

Note: In quartz,
quartz when optic axis is perpendicular to refracting face then
only we can observe the rotation of PP light other wise it will act just as a
wave plate which produce phase difference in e-ray and o-ray.
 Optical
p activityy

The phenomenon of rotation of the plane of vibration is

called rotatory polarization and this property of the
crystal (substance) is called optical activity or optical
rotation and substances which show this property are
called optically active substances.
There are two types of optically active substances:

Righthanded or dextro-rotatory:-
Sodium chlorate, cane sugar.

Left handed or leavo rotatory:-

F it sugar, turpentine.
Fruit t ti

Note: Quartz is an optically active substance.

substance
Calcite does not produce any rotation.
 Biots law for optical rotation
l : angle
g of rotation of the plane
p of vibration for any
y given
g wavelength.
g
l : length of the optically active medium traversed.
In case of solution or vapours
C, C: concentration of the solution or vapour

The total rotation prod

produced
ced bby a nnumber
mber of optically
opticall active
acti e substances
s bstances is equal
eq al
to the algebric sum of the individual rotations.
= 1 + 2 + 3 + .... = i
i

The anticlockwise rotations are taken +ve ;

while the clockwise rotations are taken -ve.
ve.

Applications:
11. To find the percentage of optically active material present in the solution.
solution
2. The amount of sugar present in blood of a diabetic patient determined by
measuring the angle of rotation of the plane of polarization.
 Fresnels theory of optical rotation

Fresnel s theory of optical rotation by an optically active

Fresnels
substance is based on the fact that any plane polarized light may
be considered as resultant of two circularly polarized vibrations
rotating in opposite direction with h the
h same velocity
l or
frequency.
 Fresnels theory of optical rotation
This explanation was based on the following
assumptions:

A plane polarized light falling on an optically active

medium along its optic axis splits up into two circularly
polarized vibrations of equal amplitudes and rotating
in opposite directionsone clockwise and other
anticlockwise.
anticlockwise
 Fresnels theory of optical rotation

In an optically inactive substance these two circular

components travel with the same speed along the optic
axis. Hence at emergence they give rise to a plane
polarized light without any rotation of the plane of
polarization.
l i ti
 Fresnels theory of optical rotation
I an optically
In i ll active l like
i crystal, lik quartz , two circular
i l
components travel with different speeds so that relative
phase difference is developed between them.

If vR>vL the substance is dextro-rotatory

And if vR< vL the substance is leavo-rotatory

 Fresnels theory of optical rotation
On emergence from an optically active substance the two
circular vibrations recombine to give plane polarized light
whose plane of vibration has been rotated w.r.t that of
incident light through a certain angle depends on the phase
diff between the two vibrations.
 Fresnels theory of optical rotation
This explanation was based on the following assumptions:
1
1. A plane polarized light falling on an optically active medium along its
optic axis splits up into two circularly polarized vibrations of equal
amplitudes and rotating in opposite directions one clockwise and other
anticlockwise.

2. In an optically inactive substance these two circular components travel

with the same speed along the optic axis. Hence at emergence they give
rise to a plane polarized light without any rotation of the plane of
polarization.

3
3. In an optically active crystal,
crystal like quartz , two circular components
travel with different speeds so that relative phase difference is
developed between them.

4. In dextro-rotatory substance vR>vL and in leavo rotatory substance

vL>vR..
5
5. On emergence from
O f an optically
ti ll active
ti substance
bt th two
the t circular
i l
vibrations recombine to give plane polarized light whose plane of
vibration has been rotated w.r.t that of incident light through a certain
angle depends on the phase diff between the two vibrations.
 Superposition of two circularly
polarized light beams:
1) same amplitude and
wavelength,
2) Left and right polarised
waves,
a es,
Any plane polarized light wave can be obtained as a superposition of a left circularly
polarized and a right circularly polarized light wave, whose amplitude is identical
 Fresnel Theory of Rotation
(optic axes perpendicular to refracting face)
Plane polarized means resultant of R and L.
 Fresnel Theory of Rotation
(optic axes perpendicular to refracting face)
Plane polarized means resultant of R and L.

Note: We can prove it mathematically.

 Mathematical treatment
Let a beam
b off plane
l polarized
l i d light
li h be
b incident
i id normally ll on a quartz plate.
l
Let the vibrations in the incident polarised beam be
2a sin t
y = 2a sin t and x = 0
where 2a is the amplitude of the incident vibrations.
q n can be rewritten as x = a cos t a cos t...(1)
the above eq ()
and y = a sin t + a sin t...(2)
From the Huygen's principle of superposition, x = x1 + x2 and y = y1 + y2
Therefore eq n s (1) and (2) may be considered to be the
resultant of the two circular vibrations represented
by the eq n s x1 = a cos t and y1 = a sin t...(3)
(3)
components of clockwise circular motion in two mutually r directions.
x2 = a cos t and y2 = a sin t...(4)
( )
components of anticlockwise circular motion in two mutually r directions
(for optically inactive substance- the angular speeds of L and R components are same)
 Mathematical treatment
If the resultant vibrations for the emergent beam
along the x axis: x = x1 + x2 = 0
along the y axis: y = y1 + y2 = 2a sin t
g original
Plane of vibration is along g direction

The result
Th l shows
h that
h two oppositely
i l directed
di d circular
i l motions
i off
equal velocity combine to give linear motion along the direction
off motion (optically
p y inactive material)
 For optically active substances
According to Fresnel the two circular components are propagated through
the plate with different angular speeds. So when they emerges out of the
crystal there is a phase difference between them.

* Suppose clockwise component advances in front of the other.

x1 = a cos((t + ) i (t + )
y1 = a sin( [clockwise]
[ l k i ]
x2 = a cos t y2 = a sin t [anti clockwise]
Th resultant
The lt t displacement
di l t along
l the
th two
t axes are

x = x1 + x2 y = y1 + y2
= a cos(t + ) a cos t = a sin (t + ) + a sin t


= 2a sin sin t + ....(5) = 2a cos sin t + .......(6)
( )
2 2 2 2
 For optically active substances

i t + sin
x = 2a sin i i t + cos
; y=2a sin
2 2 2 2
These resultant vibrations along the x and y axes are
r to each other and are in the same period and phase.

Dividing eq n (5) by (6) we get

ssin
x 2
= = tan
y cos 2
2
This is equation of straight line inclined at /2 with y-axis.
That is with the vibrations off incident light.
g
 For optically active substances
R : the refractive index of the clockwise vibration
L : the refractive index of anticlockwise vibration
d : the thickness of the quartz plate,
thus the path difference between the two components
= ( L R ) d
Corresponding phase difference will be
2
= d ( L R )

Angle of rotation of plane of vibration will be
c c
= = ( L R ) d or d
2 vL vR
cd 1 1
In case of left handed optically substances vL > vR L =
vR vL
cd 1 1
In case of right handed optically active crystals vR > vL L =
vL vR
Specific rotation
The specific rotation of an optically active substance at a given
temperature
p ffor a ggiven wavelength
g off light
g is defined
f as the
rotation (in degrees) produced by the path of one decimeter length
in a substance of unit density (concentration)

10
=
T
or =T
(If l is in cm)
lC lC
The
h unit off specific
f rotation is deg.(decimeter)
d (d )-11(gm/cc)
( / )-11

The molecular rotation is given by the product of the specific

rotation and molecular weight of the substance.
 Polarimeters
A device designed for accurate measurement of angle
off rotation off p
plane off vibration off a p
plane p
polarized
light by an optically active medium is said to be a
polarimeter.

Two Types:

Laurent's Half shade polarimeter

Bi-quartz
q polarimeter
p
Laurent's Half shade polarimeter
 Half shade device (H)
Y

O X
C
SPECIFIC ROTATION 10
S=
lC
Where l is length of tube T1 in cms.
Rotary Dispersion
 Bi-quartz Device

= = (L R ) t
2

This is
Thi i muchh more sensitive
i i andd accurate then
h Half
H lf shade
h d device
d i
polarimeter. But having major drawback for color blindness person.
 Daily life uses:
Polarization effects in everyday life
C
Communication
i ti and d radar
d applications
li ti
Biology
Geology
Chemistryy
Astronomy
Materials science
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