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Faraday Rotation — Magneto-Optical Polarization Rotator (2D)

Interactive 2D Faraday-effect simulator: send polarized light through a magnetized rod and watch its polarization plane twist progressively by theta = V*B*L, verify the linearity with a live linear-regression fit, and see the non-reciprocity that makes a Faraday rotator the core of an optical isolator.

Electromagnetism2DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This 2D beam-path diagram renders the Faraday effect exactly as the 3D version does, from the side: a linearly polarized beam travels left to right through a magnetized rod and its polarization-plane indicator twists progressively along the path, following θ = V·B·L arrow by arrow rather than jumping. A live scatter chart samples 28 fresh (B, L) pairs, runs a real linear-regression fit through the computed θ values and checks the fitted slope against V·180/π to numerically confirm the linearity. An adjustable analyzer downstream demonstrates Malus's law on the transmitted intensity, and a round-trip "isolator mode" proves the effect's defining property — non-reciprocity — by comparing the Faraday round trip (which doubles to 2θ) against a normal-optical-activity control that always cancels back to 0°, the same mechanism real optical isolators use to shield lasers from back-reflections.

⚙ Under the hood

Send polarized light through a magnetized glass rod and watch its polarization plane twist by theta = V*B*L; test an analyzer with Malus's law and see why the rotation is non-reciprocal, the basis of real optical isolators.

magnetismopticsfaraday effectpolarizationverdet constantelectromagnetism

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install