Polarization, or polarisation, is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicula
Circular polarization of oscillations of rubber thread, converted to linear polarization
Color pattern of a plastic box showing stress-induced birefringence when placed in between two crossed polarizers.
Stress in plastic glasses
Photomicrograph of a volcanic sand grain; upper picture is plane-polarized light, bottom picture is cross-polarized light, scale box at left-center is 0.25 millimeter.
The Fresnel equations describe the reflection and transmission of light when incident on an interface between different optical media. They were deduced by French engineer and physicist Augustin-Jean
Polarization (waves)
…using Jones matrices can also occur at (reflective) interface between two materials of different refractive index. These effects are treated by the Fresnel equations. Part of the wave is transmitted and part is reflected; for a given material those proportions (and also the phase of reflection) are dependent on the…