All Problems Polarization of Light
Problem 5.178
What kind of polarization has a plane electromagnetic wave if the projections of the vector \(\mathbf{E}\) on the \(x\) and \(y\) axes are perpendicular to the propagation direction and are defined by the following equations: (a) \(E_{x}=E \cos (\omega t-k z), E_{y}=E \sin (\omega t-k z)\) (b) \(E_{x}=E \cos (\omega t-k z), E_{y}=E \cos (\omega t-k z+\pi / 4)\) (c) \(E_{x}=E \cos (\omega t-k z), E_{y}=E \cos (\omega t-k z+\pi)\)
5.178. For the right-handed system of coordinates: (1) circular anticlockwise polarization, when observed toward the incoming wave; (2) elliptical clockwise polarization, when observed toward the incoming wave; the major axis of the ellipse coincides with the straight line \(y=x\) (3) plane polarization, along the straight line \(y=-x\).