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Is mirror a beam splitter with reflectence=1?

Physics Asked on August 21, 2020

By definition from Wikipedia, the beam splitter (BS) operation $U_{BS} = begin{pmatrix} t & r r & t end{pmatrix} = begin{pmatrix} costheta & -isintheta -isintheta & costheta end{pmatrix}$, and the rotation matrix $R=begin{pmatrix} costheta & -sintheta sintheta & costheta end{pmatrix}$. Now a mirror is just a BS with $r=1$. Therefore it seems that $U_{Mirror} = begin{pmatrix} costheta & 1 1 & costheta end{pmatrix}$. However, it is mentioned on the same Wikipedia page that $U_{Mirror} = R$!

One Answer

Now a mirror is just a BS with $r=1$. Therefore it seems that $U_{Mirror} = begin{pmatrix} costheta & 1 1 & costheta end{pmatrix}$.

This is incomplete. If $|r|=|sin(theta)|=1$, then $theta=pi/2$ and $cos(theta)=0$, so $$U_mathrm{mirror} = begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1 1 & 0 end{pmatrix}.$$

The Wikipedia page's assertion that the unitary corresponding to a mirror is a rotation matrix $R(theta)$ with variable $theta$ is incorrect.

That said, the details of what unitary needs to be used to describe a mirror will depend on exactly what labelling convention you use, so they cannot be given up front without that specification.

Answered by Emilio Pisanty on August 21, 2020

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