← All apps Polarization Lab
Education
Stack linear polarizers and watch Malus's law play out live, including the genuinely surprising "three polarizer" trick: two crossed polarizers block all light, but inserting a third one at an angle between them lets some light back through. Add a quarter- or half-wave plate and watch linear polarization transform into circular, or rotate to a new angle, all computed through real Jones-matrix calculus rather than hard-coded special cases. A polarization-ellipse view shows the light's state directly as the shape it traces — a line, a circle, or an ellipse.
Open Polarization Lab (polarizationlab.apps.vtc.com)
About Polarization Lab
Polarization Lab is an interactive learning tool on VTC. Stack linear polarizers and watch Malus's law play out live, including the genuinely surprising "three polarizer" trick: two crossed polarizers block all light, but inserting a third one at an angle between them lets some light back through. Add a quarter- or half-wave plate and watch linear polarization transform into circular, or rotate to a new angle, all computed through real Jones-matrix calculus rather than hard-coded special cases. A polarization-ellipse view shows the light's state directly as the shape it traces — a line, a circle, or an ellipse. It runs in your web browser and is free to use, and suits students, teachers and self-learners.
Who it's for: Students, teachers and self-learners
Features
- A polarization-ellipse view shows the light's state directly as the shape it traces — a line, a circle, or an ellipse
- Runs in any modern web browser, nothing to install
- Listed as free in the VTC app catalog
Frequently asked questions
What is Polarization Lab on VTC?
Polarization Lab is an interactive learning tool on VTC. Stack linear polarizers and watch Malus's law play out live, including the genuinely surprising "three polarizer" trick: two crossed polarizers block all light, but inserting a third one at an angle between them lets some light back through. Add a quarter- or half-wave plate and watch linear polarization transform into circular, or rotate to a new angle, all computed through real Jones-matrix calculus rather than hard-coded special cases.
Is Polarization Lab free to use?
Yes. The VTC app catalog lists Polarization Lab at no cost, and it runs in your web browser with nothing to install.
Who is Polarization Lab for and how do I start?
It is aimed at students, teachers and self-learners. To start, open https://polarizationlab.apps.vtc.com in your browser.