Polarization of EM Waves Polarization Ellipse of a Partially-Polarized EM Plane Wave Traveling in the +z Direction  

This module presents the position of the electric vector of partially-polarized electromagnetic wave during the one period of oscillation when it is travelling in the +z direction (out of the screen, to the observer). Such a wave can be presented as a vector summation of fully polarized wave with controllable parameters and completely non-polarized wave. The degree of polarization defined as a ratio between total power of fully-polarized component to the total power of the wave. If it equals to 0, the wave is completely non-polarized, as it equals to 1 - the wave is fully polarized with parameters of the polarization ellips (orientation and ellipticity angles) that are also shown above the plot. Based of settings the coherency matrix of the wave is also calculated and shown below.

Fully polarized component parameters:

 Amplitude of Ex:
    

 Amplitude of Ey:
    

 Phase difference (ϕy-ϕx):
   deg

Relation between polarized and non-polarized components:

 Degree of polarization (DoP):
    

The coherency matrix:

Polarization Ellipse
Ey
Ex

Note: Once selected, the right and left arrow-keys can be used to move the sliders.