Physics Commons^™

Quarter-Wave Layers With 50% Reflectance For Obliquely Incident Unpolarized Light, R. M.A. Azzam, F. F. Sudradjat

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

The conditions under which light interference in a transparent quarter-wave layer of refractive index n1 on a transparent substrate of refractive index n2 leads to 50% reflectance for incident unpolarized light at an angle φ are determined. Two distinct solution branches are obtained that correspond to light reflection above and below the polarizing angle, φp , of zero reflection for p polarization. The real p and s amplitude reflection coefficients have the same (negative) sign for the solution branch φ>φp and have opposite signs for the solution branch φ<φp . Operation at φ<φp is the basis of a 50%–50% beam splitter that divides an incident totally polarized light beam (with p and s components of equal intensity) into reflected and …