A properly oriented calcite crystal will separate an unpolarized beam into two beams, one vertically polarized and one horizontally polarized. Other polarizers pass just one polarization and absorb the perpendicular one.
Is there a device that splits an unpolarized light beam into a right circulaly polarized one and a left circularly polarized one, instead of just absorbing one or the other?
(If so, please tell me where I can buy one.)
If not, is this theoretically impossible?
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Yes, this should be possible using a chiral material or the Faraday effect. However, the calcite + wave plate system is probably a lot easier. |
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I believe 3D movies use opposite circular polarizations. This video explains how exactly they work - midway through he mentions that a mirror surface will change the orientation of the circular polarization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quoySiCVFfw good luck |
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