Birefringent

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Birefringent

Birefringent (pronunciation: /biːrɪˈfrɪndʒənt/) is a term used in optics to describe a material that has the property of birefringence or double refraction.

Etymology

The term "birefringent" is derived from the Latin words "bis" meaning "twice" and "refringere" meaning "to break up". This refers to the phenomenon where a ray of light, when incident upon a birefringent material, is split into two rays.

Definition

Birefringent materials have a refractive index that depends on the polarization and propagation direction of light. These materials split a light beam into two beams that are polarized with the plane of incidence. One of the beams, the ordinary ray (o-ray), follows Snell's law, while the other, the extraordinary ray (e-ray), follows a different path.

Related Terms

  • Birefringence: The optical property of a material having a refractive index that depends on the polarization and propagation direction of light.
  • Optics: The branch of physics which involves the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it.
  • Polarization (waves): The property of waves that can oscillate with more than one orientation.
  • Refractive index: A dimensionless number that describes how light, or any other radiation, propagates through that medium.
  • Snell's law: A formula used to describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring to light or other waves passing through a boundary between two different isotropic media.

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