Two types of polarized laser light (IMAGE) DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Caption Laser light is usually linearly polarized, meaning that its waves oscillate in only one direction – up and down, in the example at left. But it can also be circularly polarized, at right, so its waves spiral like a corkscrew around the direction the light is traveling. A new study from SLAC and Stanford predicts that this circularly polarized light can be used to explore quantum materials in ways that were not possible before. Credit Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Usage Restrictions None License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.