TikZ-PGF – How to Draw Polarized Light with TikZ

3dplottikz-pgf

I was trying to draw something like that

enter image description here

Searching through the net to see if it already exists in tikz I came accross in texample.net the following image which looks a lot like what I want to draw.

enter image description here

I also found in our site a way to draw a circularly polarized light. I tried to combine a bit the two codes but I don't seem to be able to achieve something useful.

"My code" is

\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{article}

\usepackage{kerkis}
\usepackage{tikz}

\usetikzlibrary{%
    calc,%
    fadings,%
    shadings%
}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows,snakes,shapes}
\usetikzlibrary{backgrounds}
\usetikzlibrary{
    shapes.geometric,
    decorations.pathreplacing
}
\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.866cm,-0.5cm)}, y={(0.866cm,0.5cm)}, z={(0cm,1cm)}, scale=1.0,
    %Option for nice arrows
    >=stealth, %
    inner sep=0pt, outer sep=2pt,%
    axis/.style={thick,->},
    wave/.style={thick,color=#1,smooth},
    polaroid/.style={fill=black!60!white, opacity=0.3},
]
    % Colors
    \colorlet{darkgreen}{green!50!black}
    \colorlet{lightgreen}{green!80!black}
    \colorlet{darkred}{red!50!black}
    \colorlet{lightred}{red!80!black}

    % Frame
    \coordinate (O) at (0, 0, 0);
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(14, 0,   0) node [right] {x};
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(0,  2.5, 0) node [right] {y};
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(0,  0,   2) node [above] {z};

    \draw[thick,dashed] (-2,0,0) -- (O);

    % monochromatic incident light with electric field
    \draw[wave=blue, opacity=0.7, variable=\x, samples at={-2,-1.75,...,0}]
        plot (\x, { cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, { sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)})
        plot (\x, {-cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, {-sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)});

    \foreach \x in{-2,-1.75,...,0}{
        \draw[color=blue, opacity=0.7,->]
            (\x,0,0) -- (\x, { cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, { sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)})
            (\x,0,0) -- (\x, {-cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, {-sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)});
    }

    \filldraw[polaroid] (0,-2,-1.5) -- (0,-2,1.5) -- (0,2,1.5) -- (0,2,-1.5) -- (0,-2,-1.5)
        node[below, sloped, near end]{Polaroid};%

    %Direction of polarization
    \draw[thick,<->] (0,-1.75,-1) -- (0,-0.75,-1);

    % Electric field vectors
    \draw[wave=blue, variable=\x,samples at={0,0.25,...,6}]
        plot (\x,{sin(2*\x r)},0)node[anchor=north]{$\vec{E}$};

    %Polarized light between polaroid and thin section
    \foreach \x in{0, 0.25,...,6}
        \draw[color=blue,->] (\x,0,0) -- (\x,{sin(2*\x r)},0);

    \draw (3,1,1) node [text width=2.5cm, text centered]{Polarized light};

    %Crystal thin section
    \begin{scope}[thick]
        \draw (6,-2,-1.5) -- (6,-2,1.5) node [above, sloped, midway]{Crystal section}
                -- (6, 2, 1.5) -- (6, 2, -1.5) -- cycle % First face
            (6,  -2, -1.5) -- (6.2, -2,-1.5)
            (6,   2, -1.5) -- (6.2,  2,-1.5)
            (6,  -2,  1.5) -- (6.2, -2, 1.5)
            (6,   2,  1.5) -- (6.2,  2, 1.5)
            (6.2,-2, -1.5) -- (6.2, -2, 1.5) -- (6.2, 2, 1.5) 
                -- (6.2, 2, -1.5) -- cycle; % Second face

        %Optical indices
        \draw[darkred, ->]       (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1, 0.26,  0.966) node [right] {$n_{g}'$}; % index 1
        \draw[darkred, dashed]   (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1,-0.26, -0.966); % index 1
        \draw[darkgreen, ->]     (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1, 0.644,-0.173) node [right] {$n_{p}'$}; % index 2
        \draw[darkgreen, dashed] (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1,-0.644, 0.173); % index 2
    \end{scope}

    %Second polarization
    \draw[polaroid]   (12, -2,  -1.5) -- (12, -2,   1.5)  %Polarizing filter
        node [above, sloped,midway] {Polaroid} -- (12, 2, 1.5) -- (12, 2, -1.5) -- cycle;
    \draw[thick, <->] (12, -1.5,-0.5) -- (12, -1.5, 0.5); %Polarization direction

\tikzset{%
    xyz path/.style args={\x=#1; \y=#2; \z=#3; (#4)}{
        insert path={
            \foreach \step [evaluate={\x=#1; \y=#2; \z=#3;}] in {#4}{   
                -- (\x, \y, \z) } 
        }
    },
    cosine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=cos(\step); \y=0; \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (cosine path end) }
    },
    sine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=0; \y=sin(\step); \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (sine path end) }
    },
    spiral path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=cos(\step); \y=sin(\step); \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (spiral path end) }
    },
    marker/.style={
        insert path={
            node [fill, circle,  inner sep=0pt, minimum size=#1] {}
        }
    }
}

\def\lastangle{135}
\def\cycles{5}

\foreach \cycle in {0,...,\cycles}{
    \tikzset{shift={(0, 0, \cycle)}}
    \ifnum\cycle=\cycles
        \let\endangle=\lastangle
    \else
        \def\endangle{360}
    \fi

    \draw [blue, very thick] (1, 0, 0) [spiral path={0:\endangle}];
}

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

My output is

enter image description here

How to move the circular spiral to the crystal section?

Best Answer

To be honest, I don't understand the spiral code to well, at lest not why switching the roles of x and z leads to strange results. So I would recommend using Tikz's plot operation:

Code

\documentclass[a4paper,11pt]{article}

\usepackage{kerkis}
\usepackage{tikz}

\usetikzlibrary{%
    calc,%
    fadings,%
    shadings%
}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows,snakes,shapes}
\usetikzlibrary{backgrounds}
\usetikzlibrary{
    shapes.geometric,
    decorations.pathreplacing
}
\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(-30:1cm)}, y={(30:1cm)}, z={(90:1cm)}, scale=1.0,
    %Option for nice arrows
    >=stealth, %
    inner sep=0pt, outer sep=2pt,%
    axis/.style={thick,->},
    wave/.style={thick,color=#1,smooth},
    polaroid/.style={fill=black!60!white, opacity=0.3},
]
    % Colors
    \colorlet{darkgreen}{green!50!black}
    \colorlet{lightgreen}{green!80!black}
    \colorlet{darkred}{red!50!black}
    \colorlet{lightred}{red!80!black}

    % Frame
    \coordinate (O) at (0, 0, 0);
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(14, 0,   0) node [right] {x};
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(0,  2.5, 0) node [right] {y};
    \draw[axis] (O) -- +(0,  0,   2) node [above] {z};

    \draw[thick,dashed] (-2,0,0) -- (O);

    % monochromatic incident light with electric field
    \draw[wave=blue, opacity=0.7, variable=\x, samples at={-2,-1.75,...,0}]
        plot (\x, { cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, { sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)})
        plot (\x, {-cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, {-sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)});

    \foreach \x in{-2,-1.75,...,0}{
        \draw[color=blue, opacity=0.7,->]
            (\x,0,0) -- (\x, { cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, { sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)})
            (\x,0,0) -- (\x, {-cos(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)}, {-sin(1.0*\x r)*sin(2.0*\x r)});
    }

    \filldraw[polaroid] (0,-2,-1.5) -- (0,-2,1.5) -- (0,2,1.5) -- (0,2,-1.5) -- (0,-2,-1.5)
        node[below, sloped, near end]{Polaroid};%

    %Direction of polarization
    \draw[thick,<->] (0,-1.75,-1) -- (0,-0.75,-1);

    % Electric field vectors
    \draw[wave=blue, variable=\x,samples at={0,0.25,...,6}]
        plot (\x,{sin(2*\x r)},0)node[anchor=north]{$\vec{E}$};

    %Polarized light between polaroid and thin section
    \foreach \x in{0, 0.25,...,6}
        \draw[color=blue,->] (\x,0,0) -- (\x,{sin(2*\x r)},0);

    \draw (3,1,1) node [text width=2.5cm, text centered]{Polarized light};

    %Crystal thin section
    \begin{scope}[thick]
        \draw (6,-2,-1.5) -- (6,-2,1.5) node [above, sloped, midway]{Crystal section}
                -- (6, 2, 1.5) -- (6, 2, -1.5) -- cycle % First face
            (6,  -2, -1.5) -- (6.2, -2,-1.5)
            (6,   2, -1.5) -- (6.2,  2,-1.5)
            (6,  -2,  1.5) -- (6.2, -2, 1.5)
            (6,   2,  1.5) -- (6.2,  2, 1.5)
            (6.2,-2, -1.5) -- (6.2, -2, 1.5) -- (6.2, 2, 1.5) 
                -- (6.2, 2, -1.5) -- cycle; % Second face

        %Optical indices
        \draw[darkred, ->]       (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1, 0.26,  0.966) node [right] {$n_{g}'$}; % index 1
        \draw[darkred, dashed]   (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1,-0.26, -0.966); % index 1
        \draw[darkgreen, ->]     (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1, 0.644,-0.173) node [right] {$n_{p}'$}; % index 2
        \draw[darkgreen, dashed] (6.1, 0, 0) -- (6.1,-0.644, 0.173); % index 2
    \end{scope}

    %Second polarization
    \draw[polaroid]   (12, -2,  -1.5) -- (12, -2,   1.5)  %Polarizing filter
        node [above, sloped,midway] {Polaroid} -- (12, 2, 1.5) -- (12, 2, -1.5) -- cycle;
    \draw[thick, <->] (12, -1.5,-0.5) -- (12, -1.5, 0.5); %Polarization direction

\draw[thick,blue] plot[domain=0:1080,smooth,samples=540] ({6+\x/180},{-1*cos(\x)},{1*sin(\x)});
\foreach \x in {0,45,...,1080}
{   \draw[blue,->] ({6+\x/180},{0},{0}) -- ({6+\x/180},{-1*cos(\x)},{1*sin(\x)});
}

\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

Output

enter image description here

If you want the circular part to start where the flat part ended, simply change the factors in front of the sin and cos terms to 0.5. This will however look odd, so you'll then probably have to change the angles of the coordinate axes (the parameters of the tikzpicture).

Also nice to see someone else is using kerkis ;)

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] TikZ: How to draw a sine curve in 3D

It is possible, but it does not neccessarily help understanding. The first is a rotation with constant angular velocity about the z-axis, which you probably get from the picture. But it gets quite incomprehendable from there: I wouldn't know what the second one is.

So I started experimenting. The next two explore the possibility to draw surfaces connecting to the xy-plane with or without the actual line drawn.

Then I fried connections via radial lines, which just looks ugly.

Lastly, I tried surfaces connectiong radially to the z-axis.

Let me know if anything at least comes remotely to what you were looking for.

\documentclass[parskip]{scrartcl}
\usepackage[margin=15mm,a3paper,landscape]{geometry}
\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*100)},{sin(\z*100)},{\z})
};
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {normal rotation};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*200)},{sin(\z*100)},{\z})
};
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {WTF?};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*189)},{sin(\z*91)},{\z})
};
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,9.9}
{\fill[gray,opacity=0.2] ({cos(\z*189)},{sin(\z*91)},0) -- ({cos(\z*189)},{sin(\z*91)},{\z}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*189)},{sin((\z+0.1)*91)},{\z+0.1}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*189)},{sin((\z+0.1)*91)},0) -- cycle;
}
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {to floor, gray};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,9.9}
{   \pgfmathtruncatemacro{\mycolorpercentage}{\z/0.099}
    \fill[red!\mycolorpercentage!blue,opacity=0.1] ({cos(\z*210)},{sin(\z*42)},0) -- ({cos(\z*210)},{sin(\z*42)},{\z}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*210)},{sin((\z+0.1)*42)},{\z+0.1}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*210)},{sin((\z+0.1)*42)},0) -- cycle;
}
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {to floor, color gradient};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*207)},{sin(\z*101)},{\z})
};
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ \draw[opacity=0.5,gray] ({cos(\z*207)},{sin(\z*101)},{\z}) -- (0,0,\z);
}
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {radial lines};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*237)},{sin(\z*111)},{\z})
};
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,9.9}
{ \fill[opacity=0.5,gray] (0,0,\z) -- ({cos(\z*237)},{sin(\z*111)},{\z}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*237)},{sin((\z+0.1)*111)},{(\z+0.1)}) -- (0,0,{(\z+0.1)}) -- cycle;
}
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {radial surfaces, gray};
\end{tikzpicture}
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.707cm,0.707cm)},z={(0cm,1cm)},y={(-0.866cm,0.5cm)}]
\draw[->] (-2,0,0) -- (2,0,0) node[right] {x};
\draw[->] (0,-2,0) -- (0,2,0) node[left] {y};
\draw[->] (0,0,-2) -- (0,0,12) node[above] {z};
\draw (1,0,0)
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,10}
{ -- ({cos(\z*37)},{sin(\z*219)},{\z})
};
\foreach \z in {0,0.1,...,9.9}
{ \pgfmathtruncatemacro{\mycolorpercentage}{\z/0.099}
    \fill[opacity=0.3,orange!\mycolorpercentage!cyan] (0,0,\z) -- ({cos(\z*37)},{sin(\z*219)},{\z}) -- ({cos((\z+0.1)*37)},{sin((\z+0.1)*219)},{(\z+0.1)}) -- (0,0,{(\z+0.1)}) -- cycle;
}
\node[rotate=90,right=1cm] at (0,0,12) {radial, color gradient};
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

enter image description here

[Tex/LaTex] How to plot circular polarized electromagnetic wave

Possibly something like this maybe? Not sure if it is quite right.

\documentclass{standalone}

\usepackage{tikz}

\begin{document}

\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.75cm,.5cm)}, z={(1cm,-.25cm)}]

\tikzset{%
    xyz path/.style args={\x=#1; \y=#2; \z=#3; (#4)}{
        insert path={
            \foreach \step [evaluate={\x=#1; \y=#2; \z=#3;}] in {#4}{   
                -- (\x, \y, \z) } 
        }
    },
    cosine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=cos(\step); \y=0; \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (cosine path end) }
    },
    sine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=0; \y=sin(\step); \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (sine path end) }
    },
    spiral path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        xyz path={\x=cos(\step); \y=sin(\step); \z=\step/360; (#1, 5, ..., #2)},
        insert path={ coordinate (spiral path end) }
    },
    marker/.style={
        insert path={
            node [fill, circle,  inner sep=0pt, minimum size=#1] {}
        }
    }
}

\def\lastangle{135}
\def\cycles{5}

\foreach \cycle in {0,...,\cycles}{
    \tikzset{shift={(0, 0, \cycle)}}
    \ifnum\cycle=\cycles
        \let\endangle=\lastangle
    \else
        \def\endangle{360}
    \fi
    \draw [red] (1, 0, 0) [cosine path={0:\endangle}];
    \draw [green] (0, 0, 0) [sine path={0:\endangle}];
    \draw [blue, very thick] (1, 0, 0) [spiral path={0:\endangle}];
}

\tikzset{shift={(0,0,\cycles+\lastangle/360)}}

\draw [dotted, thick]
    (-2,-2, 0) -- (2,-2,0) -- (2,2,0) -- (-2,2,0) -- cycle
    (0,-2) -- (0,2) (-2,0) -- (2,0) 
    (1, 0) 
    \foreach \step [evaluate={\y=sin(\step); \x=cos(\step);}] in {0, 5, ..., 355}{  
            -- (\x, \y, 0) } ;

\draw [orange] (cosine path end) -- (spiral path end) -- (sine path end);
\draw [red] (0,0,0) -- (cosine path end) [marker=2pt];
\draw [green] (0,0,0) -- (sine path end) [marker=2pt];
\draw [blue, very thick] (0,0,0) -- (spiral path end) [marker=4pt];
\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

enter image description here

EDIT Of course we can do better:

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage[active,tightpage]{preview}
\usepackage{tikz}
\PreviewEnvironment{tikzpicture}
\usetikzlibrary{backgrounds}
\begin{document}

\tikzset{%
    calculate step/.code=\pgfmathsetmacro\step{#1+5},
    cosine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        insert path={ [calculate step=#1]
            (cos #1, 0, #1/360)  
            \foreach \t in {#1, \step, ..., #2}{ -- (cos \t, 0, \t/360) }
            coordinate (cosine path end) 
        }
    },
    sine path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        insert path={ [calculate step=#1]
            (0, sin #1, #1/360)  
            \foreach \t in {#1, \step, ..., #2}{ -- (0, sin \t, \t/360) }  
            coordinate (sine path end) 
        }
    },
    spiral path/.style args={#1:#2}{
        insert path={ [calculate step=#1]
            (cos #1, sin #1, #1/360)  
            \foreach \t in {#1,\step, ..., #2}{ -- (cos \t, sin \t, \t/360) }  
            coordinate (spiral path end) 
        },
    },
    marker/.style={
        insert path={
            node [fill, circle,  inner sep=0pt, minimum size=#1] {}
        }
    },
    background/.style={
        background rectangle/.style={fill=black}, 
        show background rectangle
    },
    cosine/.style={
        red
    },
    sine/.style={
        green
    },
    spiral/.style={
        cyan,
        very thick
    },
    indicator/.style={
        orange
    },
    grid/.style={
        white,
        loosely dotted,
        thick
    },
    axis/.style={
        white,
        thick
    }
}

\def\cycles{4}

\foreach \phase in {0, 10, ..., 350}{%
\begin{tikzpicture}[x={(0.75cm, .5cm)}, z={(1cm, -.25cm)}, 
    background, 
    line cap=round
]
\draw [axis] (0, 0, \phase/360) -- (0, 0, \cycles+\phase/360);
\foreach \cycle in {0,...,\cycles}{
    \tikzset{shift={(0, 0, \cycle)}}
    \ifnum\cycle=0
        \let\startangle=\phase
    \else
        \def\startangle{0}
    \fi
    \ifnum\cycle=\cycles
        \let\endangle=\phase
    \else
        \def\endangle{360}
    \fi
    \draw [cosine] [cosine path={\startangle:\endangle}];
    \draw [sine]   [sine path={\startangle:\endangle}];
    \draw [spiral] [spiral path={\startangle:\endangle}];
}

\begin{scope}[shift={(0, 0, \cycles+\phase/360)}]

\draw [grid]
    (-2, -2, 0) -- (2, -2, 0) -- (2, 2, 0) -- (-2, 2, 0) -- cycle
    (0, -2) -- (0, 2) (-2, 0) -- (2, 0) 
    (1, 0) \foreach \t in {0, 5, ..., 355}{ -- (cos \t, sin \t, 0) };

\draw [indicator] (cosine path end) -- (spiral path end) -- (sine path end);
\draw [cosine]    (0, 0, 0) -- (cosine path end) [marker=2pt];
\draw [sine]      (0, 0, 0) -- (sine path end)   [marker=2pt];
\draw [spiral]    (0, 0, 0) -- (spiral path end) [marker=4pt];

\end{scope}

\useasboundingbox 
    [shift={(0, 0, \phase/360)}]
    (-1.125, -1.125, 0) -- (1.125, -1.125, 0) -- 
    (1.125, 1.125, 0) -- (-1.125, 1.125, 0) -- cycle
    [shift={(0, 0, \cycles)}]
    (-2.125, -2.125, 0) -- (2.125, -2.125,0) -- 
    (2.125, 2.125, 0) -- (-2.125, 2.125, 0) -- cycle;
\end{tikzpicture}}
\end{document}

enter image description here

Note that in the PDF produced by the above code, the spiral goes backwards so that when Gimp produces the animation it goes in the other direction.

Best Answer

Code

Output

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] TikZ: How to draw a sine curve in 3D

[Tex/LaTex] How to plot circular polarized electromagnetic wave

Related Question