The rainbow beam experiment: direct visualization of dipole scattering and optical rotatory dispersion

Nathan Hagen; Toshiyasu Tadokoro

doi:10.1117/12.2526479

6 September 2019 The rainbow beam experiment: direct visualization of dipole scattering and optical rotatory dispersion

Nathan Hagen, Toshiyasu Tadokoro

Proceedings Volume 11132, Polarization Science and Remote Sensing IX; 111320E (2019) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2526479
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2019, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We show an experiment for the direct visualization of two subtle optical phenomena: optical rotation in a chiral medium and the angular profile of point dipole scattering. By passing a narrowband linear-polarized light beam into a tank filled with a sucrose solution, we see dark and light bands that exhibit the change in polarization state with propagation. This change in polarization state is made visible by the presence of point scattering particles in the liquid which scatter light in the angular profile of elemental dipoles. Using a white light beam for input, this effect generates a wonderful rainbow-like pattern of colors resulting from the medium's optical rotatory dispersion.

Citation Download Citation

Nathan Hagen and Toshiyasu Tadokoro "The rainbow beam experiment: direct visualization of dipole scattering and optical rotatory dispersion", Proc. SPIE 11132, Polarization Science and Remote Sensing IX, 111320E (6 September 2019); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2526479

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