Brewsterszöggel

Brewsterszöggel is the Hungarian term for Brewster's angle, a concept in optics describing the angle of incidence at which light with a specific polarization is perfectly reflected at an interface between two media. The term derives from Sir David Brewster, the 19th‑century Scottish physicist who described the phenomenon.

In more detail, when light passes from a medium with refractive index n1 to a medium with refractive index n2, the angle θB at which the reflected p-polarized component vanishes satisfies tan θB = n2/n1. At this angle, the Fresnel reflection coefficient for p-polarized light becomes zero, so the reflected light is completely s-polarized (polarized perpendicular to the plane of incidence). The Brewster angle depends on wavelength due to dispersion, since refractive indices vary with wavelength.

Applications and significance include glare reduction in sunglasses and photography, where reflected light tends to be horizontally polarized and can be blocked by polarizing filters. The concept is also used in experiments to determine refractive indices, and in the design of anti-reflection coatings and polarization-based imaging systems.

Typical values: for the common air-to-glass interface, θB is about 56.3 degrees. For other material combinations, the angle varies with the refractive indices involved. Limitations include the idealized assumption of a flat, infinite interface; real surfaces, roughness, multiple reflections, and broad spectral content can reduce the practical impact of Brewsterszöggel.