Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-a-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2012/paper-2/section-a/2/solution

For elliptical polarization from circular and linear components, use coherent waves of the same frequency, propagation direction and fixed relative phase. Let the circular component be and the linear component , with . Their sum has and , so
The tip of the electric field traces an ellipse with unequal semiaxes and . Coherence is necessary: averaging unrelated phases does not create this fixed polarization ellipse.

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