Question

You are provided with three polarizers with filters making angles of (A) 90 ​∘ ​​ , (B) 180 ​∘ ​​ and (C) −45 ​∘ ​​ with respect to the vertical. You want to maximize the transmission through the set of three polarizers. What order provides you with maximum transmission?

Answer 1

Answer:

Order of maximum transmission of the polarizer is A, C and B.

Solution:

As per the question:

For the first polarizer, the angle is quite insignificant:

(A) $90^{\circ}$:

The light intensity after passing through the first polarizer is $I_{o}$ and this intensity does not depend on the angle of the polarizer.

Consider $90^{\circ}$ with the vertical, the intensity is given by:

$I = I_{o}cos^{2}90^{\circ}$

$I = I_{o}cos(2(45^{\circ})) = I_{o}(\frac{1+cos90^{\circ})}{2} = \frac{I_{o}}{2}$

(B) $180^{\circ}$:

Suppose the second polarizer is  $45^{\circ}$ with the vertical.

Now, intensity through the second polarizer:

$I' = Icos^{2}(\theta_{2} - \theta_{1}) = \frac{I_{o}}{2}cos^{2}(- 45 - 90)$

$I' =  \frac{I_{o}}{2}cos^{2}135^{\circ} = \frac{I_{o}}{4}$

Now, if we consider the second polarizer to be $180^{\circ}$,

$I' = \frac{I_{o}}{2}cos^{2}180^{\circ} = \frac{I_{o}}{2}cos^{2}(180^{\circ} - 90^{\circ}) = 0$

(C) $- 45^{\circ}$:

Now,

Intensity through the third polarizer, if it is $180^{\circ}$ with the vertical:

$I' = Icos^{2}(\theta_{2} - \theta_{1}) = \frac{I_{o}}{2}cos^{2}(180 - (- 45))$

$I' = \frac{I_{o}}{8}$