ISSN:
1572-817X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Control Technology
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract The necessity for polarization-tensors of higher order than the 2×2 polarization matrix is clearly demonstrated, by considering two inequivalent situations arising from the superposition of two constant-amplitude beams with a random phase difference between them. The partially- and unpolarized fields from the superposition of two circularly polarized beams show no anisotropy in intensity fluctuations when viewed by a plane-polarized detector. This is not the case for the partially- and even the unpolarized beam formed from two plane-polarized beams. In passing, thesimple form of the polarization curve observed by a rotatable plane-polarized detector subject to an elliptically polarized beam, is derived.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01419064
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