Page 660 - Introduction to Information Optics

644 11. Information Display with Optics

yM

E

Crystal

Fig. 11.21. Light propagation in a uniaxial birefringent crystal.

Each component of the incident light experiences different refractive indices
when propagating along the crystal. The Jones vector for the emerging light
from the crystal at z = d is then given by:

(11.33)
•'out

Assuming that n 0 < n e; i.e., the x-axis is a fast axis and y-axis is a slow axis,
we define the phase retardation, A, of the extraordinary axis component with
respect to the ordinary axis component as

Expressing in terms of the phase retardation, the Jones vector for the emerging
light is given by
w
''out ~ (11.35)

Now the transformation of one polarization state to another can be represen-
ted by a matrix called the Jones matrix; for instance, transformation from J in