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Birefringence

Birefringence, also called double refraction, is the optical property of a material having a refractive index that depends on the polarization and propagation direction of light. These optically anisotropic materials are described as birefringent or birefractive. The birefringence is often quantified as the maximum difference between refractive indices…

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Overview

Explanation

Terminology

Sources of optical birefringence

Common birefringent materials

Measurement

Applications

Theory

Bibliography

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Birefringence

Nodes127
Edges126
Triples110
Avg. degree1.98
Density0.015748
Components1

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Birefringence

Top relations

related to External links · 15
Birefringence → Artist Austine Wood Comarow, Brady Haran, Merrifield, Michael, Nottingham, Plexiglas, PMMA, Polymethylmethacrylate, Sixty Symbols, Stress Analysis Apparatus, The Birefringence, Thin Ice, Tom Wagner, University, Video
related to Double refraction · 12
Birefringence → According, Even, Hence, If, Natural, Poynting, Snell's, So, The, This, When, Wollaston
related to Sources of optical birefringence · 10
Birefringence → By, Circular, Faraday, Form, Kerr, Pockels, Stress, This, When, While
related to Optical devices · 9
Birefringence → Glan, Layered, Liquid-crystal, Similarly, Taylor, The Lyot, Thompson, To, Waveplates
related to Uniaxial materials · 9
Birefringence → Because, For, Its, Light, Poynting, Rotating, The, This, Thus
related to Medicine · 8
Birefringence → Areas, Calcium, For, Light, Modifications, One, Therefore, Urate
related to Common birefringent materials · 6
Birefringence → Depending, Due, For, In, Polarizers, The
measured by · 5
Birefringence → Determination, Polarized, The, These, This
related to Stress-induced birefringence · 5
Birefringence → Isotropic, Poincaré, The, There, When
see also · 5
Birefringence → Cotton, GemologyVacuum, KerrOptical, Mouton, X-raysPleochroismHuygens

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Important terminology

polarization two refractive direction light axis index ray birefringent optic material optical crystals extraordinary indices refraction crystal one polarizations different

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
Birefringenceis aentrance of light into an anisotropic crystal0.90text
calcite.The different angles of refraction for the two polarization components are shown in the figure at the top of this pageinstance ofin the Wollaston prism which separates incoming light into two linear polarizations using prisms composed of a birefringent material0.80text
with the optic axis along the surfaceinstance ofin the Wollaston prism which separates incoming light into two linear polarizations using prisms composed of a birefringent material0.80text
rodsinstance ofwhereby structure elements0.80text
having one refractive indexinstance ofwhereby structure elements0.80text
are suspended in a medium with a different refractive indexinstance ofwhereby structure elements0.80text
lipidsinstance ofBy the self or forced alignment into thin films of amphiphilic molecules0.80text
some surfactants or liquid crystalsinstance ofBy the self or forced alignment into thin films of amphiphilic molecules0.80text
polystyreneinstance ofin plastics0.80text
polycarbonate.Cotton fiber is birefringent because of high levels of cellulosic material in the fibre's secondary cell wall which is directionally aligned with the cotton fibers.Polarized light microscopy is commonly used in biological tissueinstance ofin plastics0.80text
as many biological materials are linearly or circularly birefringentinstance ofin plastics0.80text
the Glaninstance ofbirefringent crystals are used in devices0.80text

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