When an unpolarized planar electromagnetic wavefront impinges on a flat dielectric surface, there is a unique angle (θB), commonly referred to as Brewster angle, at which the reflected waves are all polarized into a single plane.
Notes: - Expression for Brewster @A00346@: \[\theta_{\text{B}} = arctan \frac{n_{2}}{n_{1}} = arctan \left (\frac{\varepsilon_{2}}{\varepsilon_{1}} \right)^{1/2}\] where n2 and n1 are the refractive indices of the receiving surface and the initial medium, respectively, and ɛ2 and ɛ1 are the relative static permittivities (formerly called dielectric constants).
- For a randomly polarized beam incident at Brewster @A00346@, the electric fields of the reflected and refracted waves are perpendicular to each other
- For a wave incident from air on water (n = 1.333), glass (n = 1.515), and @D01671@ (n = 2.417), the Brewster angles are 53, 57, and 67.5 degrees, respectively.
Source:
PAC, 2007, 79, 293. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry, 3rd edition (IUPAC Recommendations 2006)' on page 310 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779030293)