Waveplates and Jones Matrix

  / edmundsj  
If you want to see more of these videos, or would like to say thanks for this one, the best way you can do that is by becoming a patron - see the link above :). And a huge thank you to all my existing patrons - you make these videos possible.

Waveplates, along with polarizers, are one of the most important optical elements - they allow the transformation of light from linear to circular polarization, and for the swapping of x- and y-polarized components of light. In this video, I describe the basics of birifringence, and how refractive index can depend on polarization, and then what the jones matrix of quarter- and half- waveplates are.

This is part of my graduate series on optoelectronics / photonics, and is based primarily on Coldren's book on Lasers as well as graduate-level coursework I have taken in the EECS department at UC Berkeley.

Hope you found this video helpful, please post in the comments below anything I can do to improve future videos, or suggestions you have for future videos.