I was showing a polarizer filter in class today and a student asked if
laser light was or could be polarized. I didn't know and tested it out on a
NeHe laser and one of those solid state ponter pen lasers. Both showed some
polarization.
Interestingly the NeHe laser polarization ROTATES with about a 9s period
(holding the filter still the intensity of the transmitted beam varied over
time). Can anyone give me an explanation of what is going on, why polarized
and why rotating?
kyle
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! kyle forinash 812-941-2390 !
! forinas@indiana.edu !
! Natural Science Division !
! Indiana University Southeast !
! New Albany, IN 47150 !
! http://Physics.ius.indiana.edu/Physics.html !
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