Antenna Part 7. Antenna Polarization. Linear (Vertical & Horizontal), Circular & Elliptic Polarize.

Antenna Design playlist. Watch these video to understand more on Antenna Design.
   • Antenna Part 1. Types of Antenna: Wir...  

Antenna polarization refers to the orientation of the electric field of a radio wave relative to the Earth's surface. It is determined by the antenna's physical structure and orientation. Polarization plays a crucial role in how effectively an antenna can receive or transmit radio waves to or from other antennas. To ensure optimal communication, the polarization of the antennas must match.

There are three primary types of antenna polarization:

Linear Polarization:
Vertical polarization 
horizontal polarization
Slant polarization

Circular Polarization:
Right-Hand Circular Polarization (RHCP)
Left-Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP)

Elliptical Polarization:

The polarization of an antenna is generally defined as the orientation of the electromagnetic fields produced by the antenna as energy radiates away from it. These fields determine the direction in which energy moves away from or is received by the antenna.

Linear polarization is the most common polarization.

Linear Polarization: The electric field oscillates in a single plane. Linear polarization can be vertical, horizontal, or slanted at an angle.

Vertical polarization refers to the oscillation of an antenna's electric field in the vertical plane, whereas horizontal polarization refers to the oscillation in the horizontal plane. For example, if the electric field vector is oriented vertically (alternating up and down as the wave travels), the radiation is said to be vertically polarized.

Slant polarization refers to an electrical field that oscillates at a 45-degree angle to a reference plane.

Circular Polarization: The electric field of a radio wave rotates in a circle, completing one full rotation for each wavelength. This rotation can occur in two directions: right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) or left-hand circular polarization (LHCP), depending on the direction of rotation.

When the electric field rotates to the right, it is called Right-Hand Circular Polarization (RHCP); when it rotates to the left, it is called Left-Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP).

Circular polarization of an electromagnetic wave is a polarization state in which the electromagnetic field of the wave has a constant magnitude and rotates at a constant rate in a plane perpendicular to the wave's direction of propagation. In a traveling circularly polarized electromagnetic wave, the electric field vectors rotate in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel. This wave is right-handed, or clockwise, circularly polarized.

Right-handed/clockwise circularly polarized. This would be considered left-handed/counterclockwise circularly polarized if defined from the point of view of the source rather than the receiver

Not to be confused with circular polarization, elliptical polarization refers to an electrical field that is propagated in an elliptical helix. Similar to circular polarization, elliptical polarization can either be right-hand, or left-hand.