Polarizers

Polarizers are optical devices that are used to selectively transmit light waves of a particular polarization, while blocking light waves with other polarizations. They are commonly used in a variety of applications, including photography, display technology, and scientific instruments. Polarizers are made of materials that have the property of birefringence, meaning that they have different refractive indices for light waves with different polarizations. When light passes through a polarizer, it is split into two components, known as the ordinary and extraordinary rays. The polarizer only allows the ordinary ray to pass through, blocking the extraordinary ray. This results in the light emerging from the polarizer having a single polarization. Polarizers are often used in conjunction with other optical devices, such as lenses and filters, to control the polarization of light in a system.