Singlepolarization

Singlepolarization is a term used to describe systems, signals, or measurements that use or detect only one polarization state of electromagnetic radiation. It implies that the polarization content is limited to a single linear, circular, or elliptical component, typically due to the source, the channel, or the receiver design.

In optical systems, single-polarization configurations use a polarizer and often a polarization-maintaining path to keep light in a fixed polarization. They are contrasted with dual-polarization systems that carry two orthogonal states, enabling higher data rates in communication or richer contrast in imaging.

In telecommunications, a single-polarization channel transmits data using one polarization. Polarization-division multiplexing (PDM) uses two orthogonal polarizations to increase capacity; in channels where polarization is not preserved, single-polarization setups can be simpler and more robust.

In radar and remote sensing, single-polarization measurements record returns for one polarization channel (for example, VV or HH). This reduces complexity and data volume but limits the ability to infer surface properties. Full-polarization systems capture multiple channels to improve target classification and material identification.

Measurement and analysis of polarization are often discussed alongside polarization diversity and Stokes parameters; a complete description includes multiple components, while single polarization corresponds to a subset with one nonzero component. In practice, quasi-single-polarization systems may tolerate some cross-polar leakage while aiming for simplicity and lower cost.

Applications include basic imaging, certain optical links, and resource-constrained sensing scenarios, where the reduced information content is acceptable in exchange for simplicity and robustness.