© 2002 J.Paul Robinson, Purdue University BMS 631- Flow Cytometry lecture002.ppt
Page 30
Brewster’s Angle
•Brewster’s angle is the angle at which the reflected light is linearly polarized normal to the plane incidence
•At the end of the plasma tube, light can leave through a particular angle (Brewster’s angle)  and essentially be highly polarized
•Maximum polarization occurs when the angle between reflected and transmitted light is 90o
•thus Ør + Øt  = 90o
•since sin (90-x) = cos x
•Snell’s provides  (sin Øi / cos Øi   )  =  n2/n1
•
• Ør  is Brewster’s angle      
•
Shapiro p 82
Ør   = tan -1  (n2/n1)