Polarization (Malus)

How it works

Two linear **polarizers**: the first prepares polarization; the second (**analyzer**) is rotated by **θ**. **Malus’s law** gives **I = I₁ cos²θ**, where **I₁** is the intensity after the first polarizer and **θ** is the angle between their **transmission axes**. At **θ = 90°** you get a dark **extinction** (crossed polarizers).

Key equations