ABSTRACT
In unpolarized light, E→ has no favored orientation and the planes of vibration are symmetrically distributed around the direction of propagation. On the other hand, if the variation takes a certain predictable form, then the wave is said to be polarized. There are many of these polarization states. The most common ones are linear (or plane) polarization, circular polarization, and elliptical polarization. Such light waves are referred to as linearly (or plane) polarized light, circularly polarized light, and elliptically polarized light, respectively. Circular polarization is obtained when the amplitudes of the x- and y-components are equal and that the y-component either leads (right circularly polarized) or lags (left circularly polarized) with respect to the x-component. Elliptical polarization is similar to circular polarization except for the fact that the amplitudes of the x- and y-components are unequal. This is the most general form of polarization.
