How Does Rotating a Glan-Thompson Polarizator Affect Brewster's Angle?

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Rotating a Glan-Thompson polarizator alters the orientation of its optic axis relative to the light propagation direction, affecting the polarization state of the transmitted beam. When the polarizator is aligned with the light's plane of incidence, Brewster's angle is observed, indicating that the transmitted light is polarized parallel to that plane. However, as the polarizator is rotated, the relationship between the optic axis and the incident light changes, leading to the disappearance of Brewster's angle. This phenomenon is linked to the principles of birefringence and how it influences the polarization components of the light. Understanding this interaction is crucial for applications involving polarized light manipulation.
Niles
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Hi

I understand why a Glan-Thompson polarizator (http://www.thorlabs.de/newgrouppage9.cfm?objectgroup_id=116) works, i.e. birefringence. Currently I am sending light through one, and the beam that goes straight out has a Brewster angle, i.e. it must be polarized parallel to the plane of incidence.

When I turn the polarizator around its axis, then the Brewster angle disappears. I don't understand that, and I can't find the explanation in any of my books on optics. Can anyone help out?Niles.
 
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I guess its basically a question of what happens when I change the angle between the optic axis and the propagation direction, but how does that change what component comes out where?
 
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