title: Minkowskian description of polarized light and polarizers.
abstract: A conventional Stokes description of polarized light is considered in a four-dimensional Lorentzian space, developing a seminal idea of Paul Soleillet [Ann. Phys. (Paris) 12, 23 (1929)]. This provides a striking interpretation for the degree of polarization and the Stokes decomposition of light beams. Malus law and reciprocity theorems for polarizers are studied using this Lorentzian formalism.
authors.affiliation: Departament d'Astronomia i Astrofísica, Universitat de Valéncia, 46100 Burjassot (Valéncia), Spain. antonio.morales@uv.es
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Navarro