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Unpolarized light consists of wave vibrations in many planes perpendicular to the direction of travel.
A polarizer is a device that filters out or blocks all planes of vibration, except those desired,
which in the ideal case may be a single vibration plane. This vibration plane is transverse to the
direction of travel of the beam.
Snapshot of plane polarized wave of light.
A polarizer is only a selector. It doesn’t create transverse vibrations but rather preferentially selects
certain transverse vibrations and rejects others. This selection is accomplished using one or more
of the principles of absorption, reflection, and refraction.
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Retarder Film
Quartz Waveplate Retarder
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