circular polarization

American  

noun

Optics.

1. polarization in which the vector representing the instantaneous intensity of the electromagnetic field describes a circular helix in the direction of propagation.

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circular polarization British  

noun

1. electromagnetic radiation (esp light) in which the electric field vector describes a circle about the direction of propagation at any point in the path of the radiation

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Etymology

Origin of circular polarization

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Then, Du and his collaborators worked with two laser beams, each with a different frequency, or color, and circular polarization, or direction of the laser's electric field.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2024

The survey looks at a large amount of sky for highly variable radio wave sources, and collects circular polarization, among other data.

From Scientific American • May 4, 2022

Although other telescopes are collecting polarization data, there have only been a few large-scale radio surveys using the circular polarization technique.

From Scientific American • May 4, 2022

And the glasses use  circular polarization to create their effect.

From New York Times • May 1, 2015

Conversely, right-handed circular polarization will be changed by the plate into plane-polarization in one direction, while left-handed will be changed into plane at right angles to the first.

From Six Lectures on Light Delivered In The United States In 1872-1873 by Tyndall, John