Two components are not in phase and either do not have the same amplitude and/or are not ninety degrees out of phase, called elliptical polarization because the electric vector traces out an ellipse in the plane (the polarization ellipse).

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Two components are not in phase and either do not have the same amplitude and/or are not ninety degrees out of phase, called elliptical polarization because the electric vector traces out an ellipse in the plane (the polarization ellipse).