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polarization Definition

po·lari·za·tion (pō′lə ri zā′s̸hən)

noun

  1. the producing of polarity in something, or the acquiring of polarity
  2. the process or condition of being divided into two opposing groups
  3. Elec. a condition in which gases produced during electrolysis accumulate on and around the electrodes of an electrical cell and reduce the flow of current by setting up an opposing potential
  4. Optics
    1. the condition of electromagnetic or other waves in which the transverse motion or field of the wave is confined to one plane or one direction
    2. the production of this condition

Etymology: < polarize + -ation

polarization Telecom Definition

The direction of the electric field vector of an electromagnetic wave. All electromagnetic waves have electric and magnetic fields that are perpendicular to the direction of propagation. The electric field and the magnetic fields are orthogonal, i.e., perpendicular to each other. The simplest graphical representation is of one field along the x-axis and one along the y-axis, with the direction of propagation plotted along the z-axis, as illustrated in Figure P-6. The electric and magnetic fields are at the same frequency, although their amplitude may not be the same and they may be out of phase. Polarization can be planar (linear), circular, or elliptical. If the emitter, i.e., transmitter, causes the wave to take place in one plane, the wave is said to be a plane-polarized wave. If the amplitude of the electric and magnetic fields is constant and the fields are in phase, the polarization is said to be linear and is graphically traced in a straight line. If the two component fields are of the same amplitude and exactly 90 degrees out of phase, polarization is said to be circular, rotating in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, depending on which field is ahead of the other. All other conditions create what is known as elliptical polarization.The design of an electromagnetic transmitter determines the polarization of the emitted signal, the propagation characteristics of the signal, and the design of the receiver.The signal from a transmitter begins as planar, or linear, although reflections and other interactions with physical matter can change the polarization.Vertical polarization is used in AM and FM radio, and horizontal polarization in television. Satellites and terrestrial microwave systems use alternating horizontal and vertical polarization in adjacent frequency bands, which results in orthogonal signals that minimize the potential for mutual interference.Automobile headlights are horizontally polarized to provide a better view of the road. Sunglasses are vertically polarized to block glare (i.e., reflection) from water and snow, which reflect sunlight on a horizontal plane. See also amplitude, frequency, phase, propagation, and sine wave. Figure P-6: polarization

polarization Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • photon: In particular, when measuring the polarization of a photon, the choice of what direction to measure affects all subsequent measurements.
  • light: The polarization of the light is carried by the direction of the angular momentum or spin of the photons.

Converse of object

  • measure: Firstly, there is currently no facility for measuring circular polarization.
  • receive: If a scattering matrix is known, the response of the target to any combination of incident and received polarizations can be computed.
  • use: For example, Winter Hill uses horizontal polarization and most of its relays use vertical.

Adjective modifier

  • linear: The marked linear polarization of the emission from the condensate is also measured.
  • circular: Firstly, there is currently no facility for measuring circular polarization.
  • vertical: Most BBC and ITV regions are available, although the regions with horizontal polarization tend to give poorer reception than regions with vertical polarization.
  • horizontal: Your signals will arrive in the wanted area with horizontal polarization.
  • political: Abstract We investigate the effects of fiscal transparency and political polarization on the prevalence of electoral cycles in fiscal balance.
  • social: This was also a time of social polarization, which HS tries to counter with the jubilee provisions of Leviticus 25.

Modifies a noun

  • rotation: You can also estimate the amount of polarization rotation from the strength of your own echoes.
  • vector: This is carried out by rotating the polarization vector of the laser with respect to the laboratory reference frame.
  • signature: For more complicated targets, the polarization signature takes on different shapes.
  • filter: I use a polarization filter with a built-in phase corrector.
  • measurement: Potential future satellite to make very very deep all-sky CMB polarization measurement.
  • state: Common filters attenuate light according to either wavelength or polarization state.

Noun used with modifier

  • percentage: These zero percentage polarization values then result in zero polarized intensity values.
  • class: You also observe that the participants reflected a ' widening class polarization in the community ' .
  • group: Another branch of research in group psychology deals with group polarization.