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Transmission of p- and s-polarized light through a prism and the condition of minimum deviation.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20808421     Owner:  NLM     Status:  PubMed-not-MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The condition of minimum deviation (MD) by a transparent optically isotropic prism is re-derived, and expressions for the intensity transmittances T(p)(theta) and T(s)(theta) of an uncoated prism of refractive index n and prism angle alpha for incident p- and s-polarized light and their derivatives with respect to the internal angle of refraction theta are obtained. When the MD condition (theta=alpha/2) is satisfied, T(s) is maximum and T(p) is maximum or minimum. The transmission ellipsometric parameters psi(t),Delta(t) of a symmetrically coated prism are also shown to be locally stationary with respect to theta at theta=alpha/2. The constraint on (n,alpha) for maximally flat transmittance (MFT) of p-polarized light at and near the MD condition is determined. The transmittance T(p) of prisms represented by points that lie below the locus (n,alpha) of MFT exhibits oscillation as a function of theta. No similar behavior is found for the s polarization. Magnitudes and angular positions of the maxima and minima of the oscillatory T(p)-versus-theta curves are also calculated as functions of alpha for a ZnS prism of refractive index n=2.35 in the visible.
Authors:
R M A Azzam; Ryan M Adams
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision     Volume:  27     ISSN:  1520-8532     ISO Abbreviation:  J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-02     Completed Date:  2011-01-19     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9800943     Medline TA:  J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2085-90     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA. razzam@uno.edu
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