OXP-14 Double Refraction  

Topics

Snellius Law
Ordinary / Extraordinary Ray
Anisotropy
Birefringence


Examples of Investigation and Measurement

Pockel€™s cell
In the focal plane of a polarized and conoscopic beam a Pockel€™s cell is placed. By inserting a polarization analyzer, beautiful patterns of interference can be observed on a screen and have to be interpreted. Additional quarter-wave plates inserted in the beam path change these patterns in a specific way. When switching on the high voltage of the Pockel€™s cell the crystal becomes biaxial and shows other interference patterns, characteristic for such crystals of lower symmetry.

Double Refraction
Inserting a crystal of calcite in the beam path of a laser, characteristic features of double refraction can be measured as a function of the crystal€™s rotational orientation. With an analyzer the polarization state of the escaping ordinary and extraordinary ray is determined.
 
 


Required Equipment

Cat. No.     Qty.     Description
02.0500      1        Profile rail, 500 mm
02.1022      1        Screen holder, carrier 25
02.1602      1        Optical screen, 80x65, scale
02.2082      2        Mounting plate 40, rotator, spacer block, carrier 20 mm
02.2126      1        Mounting plate, click 25, carrier 20
02.2132      1        Mounting plate, click 30, carrier 20
02.6106      1        Adjustment holder, 4 axes, carrier 20
04.0060      1        Plano convex lens f=40 mm, 25.4, click 30
04.0110      2        Quarter wave plate, click 25
04.0114      1        Calcite crystal, click 25
05.0230      1        DIMO 532 (green), polariser
07.0206      1        Active power supply LDD-05
09.0044      1        Polarisation analyser, mounting plate, rotation assembly
09.1746      1        Beam expander magnification 6x
09.2420      1        Pockels€™s cell assembly, power supply