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What is the possible spin configuration of photon? And does spin has any relation with polarization?

user210956
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1 Answers1

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Photons are quantum mechanical entities, have spin 1 ( sorry missprint caught by md2perpe), and because they at the same time have mass 0 their spin can point either in the direction of their motion, or against: +1 or -1, this is the only polarization it can have. Light , which emerges from zillions of photons does have polarization.

This graphic shows clearly how the polarization of light emerges from the huge number of photons, which superimposed (their wave functions) generate the classical polarized light.

angmomlight

Rght handed light polarization emerges with photons having their spin -1, and left handed +1.

anna v
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