Optical Devices: Polarizer & Quarter-Wave Plate

This lecture discusses the behavior of light passing through an optical device consisting of a polarizer and a quarter-wave plate with unknown order and unspecified relative angle. The instructor explains the two possible arrangements of the optical elements and analyzes the polarization of unpolarized light. The lecture also covers the mathematical expressions for the electric field components and the conditions under which the quarter-wave plate and polarizer should be placed to observe or hide an object. Through detailed explanations and examples, students learn how the orientation of the optical elements affects the visibility of objects in the setup.