All Problems

Polarization of Light

Problem 5.160

A beam of natural light falls on a system oi N=6N=6 Nicol prisms whose transmission planes are turned each through an angle φ=30\varphi=30^{\circ} with respect to that of the foregoing prism. What fraction of luminous flux passes through this system?

Reveal Answer
η=1/2(cosφ)2(N1)=0.12\eta=1 / 2(\cos \varphi)^{2(N-1)}=0.12