Polarized light is a pervasive influence in our world―and scientists and engineers in a variety of fields require the tools to understand, measure, and apply it to their advantage. Offering an in-depth examination of the subject and a description of its applications, Polarized Light, Third Edition serves as a comprehensive self-study tool complete with an extensive mathematical analysis of the Mueller matrix and coverage of Maxwell’s equations.

Links Historical Developments to Current Applications and Future Innovations

This book starts with a general description of light and continues with a complete exploration of polarized light, including how it is produced and its practical applications. The author incorporates basic topics, such as polarization by refraction and reflection, polarization elements, anisotropic materials, polarization formalisms (Mueller–Stokes and Jones) and associated mathematics, and polarimetry, or the science of polarization measurement.

New to the Third Edition:

• A new introductory chapter
• Chapters on: polarized light in nature, and form birefringence
• A review of the history of polarized light, and a chapter on the interference laws of Fresnel and Arago―both completely re-written
• A new appendix on conventions used in polarized light
• New graphics, and black-and-white photos and color plates

Divided into four parts, this book covers the fundamental concepts and theoretical framework of polarized light. Next, it thoroughly explores the science of polarimetry, followed by discussion of polarized light applications. The author concludes by discussing how our polarized light framework is applied to physics concepts, such as accelerating charges and quantum systems.

Building on the solid foundation of the first two editions, this book reorganizes and updates existing material on fundamentals, theory, polarimetry, and applications. It adds new chapters, graphics, and color photos, as well as a new appendix on conventions used in polarized light. As a result, the author has re-established this book’s lofty status in the pantheon of literature on this important field.

Table of Contents

Part I Introduction to Polarized Light

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Polarization in the Natural Environment

Chapter 3. Wave Equation in Classical Optics

Chapter 4. The Polarization Ellipse

Chapter 5. Stokes Polarization Parameters

Chapter 6. Mueller Matrices for Polarizing Components

Chapter 7. Fresnel Equations: Derivation and Mueller Matrix Formulation

Chapter 8. Mathematics of the Mueller Matrix

Chapter 9. Mueller Matrices for Dielectric Plates

Chapter 10. The Jones Matrix Formalism

Chapter 11. The Poincaré Sphere

Chapter 12. Fresnel–Arago Interference Laws

Part II Polarimetry

Chapter 13. Introduction

Chapter 14. Methods of Measuring Stokes Polarization Parameters

Chapter 15. Measurement of the Characteristics of Polarizing Elements

Chapter 16. Stokes Polarimetry

Chapter 17. Mueller Matrix Polarimetry

Chapter 18. Techniques in Imaging Polarimetry

Chapter 19. Channeled Polarimetry for Snapshot Measurements

Part III Applications

Chapter 20. Introduction

Chapter 21. Crystal Optics

Chapter 22. Optics of Metals

Chapter 23. Polarization Optical Elements

Chapter 24. Ellipsometry

Chapter 25. Form Birefringence and Meanderline Retarder

Part IV Classical and Quantum Theory of Radiation by Accelerating Charges

Chapter 26. Introduction to Classical and Quantum Theory of Radiation by Accelerating Charges

Chapter 27. Maxwell’s Equations for Electromagnetic Fields

Chapter 28. The Classical Radiation Field

Chapter 29. Radiation Emitted by Accelerating Charges

Chapter 30. Radiation of an Accelerating Charge in the Electromagnetic Field

Chapter 31. The Classical Zeeman Effect

Chapter 32. Further Applications of the Classical Radiation Theory

Chapter 33. The Stokes Parameters and Mueller Matrices for Optical Activity and Faraday Rotation

Chapter 34. Stokes Parameters for Quantum Systems

About the Author

Dr. Dennis Goldstein is a senior physicist with Polaris Sensor Technologies, Inc., following a 28-year career in electro-optics research at the Air Force Research Laboratory. He is a fellow of SPIE and AFRL, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona and University of Florida. He also teaches short courses for the Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition to Polarized Light, Dr. Goldstein has published more than 70 papers and technical reports, and two book chapters. He holds six patents.