Research on Change of the Polarization Status for the Polarized Light Passing Through Quarter Wave Plate

The change of the polarization status for the polarized light passing through quarter wave plate was researched by making use of Jones matrix,including linearly polarized light,elliptically polarized light and garden polarized light.The calculation results show that the linearly polarized light does not alter the polarization status,when it's polarization direction is the same with the fast(slow) axis of the wave plate;and it turns into the circularly polarized light,when there is a angle between the the polarization direction and the fast(slow) axis;but it will be the elliptically polarized light with an arbitrary angle.Also,The emergence light will be the linearly polarized light,if the principal axis of the incidenct elliptically polarized light is parallel to the fast(slow) axis of the wave plate;and the polarization status does not change with an arbitrary angle.While the circularly polarized light is incoming,the emergence light must be the linearly polarized light.