Wave Propagation and Polarization

Flashcards for key terms related to wave propagation and polarization concepts as per the lecture notes.

Incident Angle

The angle at which a wave strikes a surface.

Transmission Angle

The angle between the transmitted wave and the normal to the surface at the point of incidence.

Reflection Coefficient (Γ)

A measure of how much of an incident wave is reflected by a boundary, given by the ratio of reflected to incident wave amplitudes.

Transmission Coefficient (τ)

A measure of how much of an incident wave passes through a boundary, given by the ratio of transmitted to incident wave amplitudes.

Perpendicular Polarization

A polarization state in which the electric field is perpendicular to the plane of incidence.

Parallel Polarization

A polarization state in which the electric field is parallel to the plane of incidence.

Reflectivity (R)

The fraction of incident power that is reflected by the surface.

Transmissivity (T)

The fraction of incident power that is transmitted through the surface.

Brewster Angle

The angle of incidence at which light with a particular polarization is perfectly transmitted through a transparent dielectric surface.

Intrinsic Impedance (η)

The ratio of the electric field to the magnetic field in a given medium.