Stokes parameters alone cannot completely characterize the polarization of plane light waves

Abstract

It was generally assumed that the Stokes parameters are complete characterization for the state of polarization of a plane light wave so that their counterparts in quantum optics, called the Stokes operators, represent the polarization of photons. Here we show, through analyzing the properties of polarized plane waves in an optically active medium, that the Stokes parameters are not able to completely characterize the state of polarization of a plane wave. The key point is that only when a plane wave is expanded in terms of the orthogonal base modes, which are physically meaningful, can the two expansion coefficients make up the Jones vector. Taking this into consideration, we demonstrate that the Stokes parameters of any elliptically polarized wave in an isotropic chiral medium, determined solely by its Jones vector, are transmitted unchanged. They are not able to reflect the rotation of its polarization ellipse along with the propagation. The relationship of the Stokes parameters with the polarization of light needs further investigation.