double refraction

American  

noun

Optics.

1. the separation of a ray of light into two unequally refracted, plane-polarized rays of orthogonal polarizations, occurring in crystals in which the velocity of light rays is not the same in all directions.

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double refraction British  

noun

1. Also called: birefringence.  the splitting of a ray of unpolarized light into two unequally refracted rays polarized in mutually perpendicular planes

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Etymology

Origin of double refraction

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

If it contains no metal, when viewed by polarized light it will give a double refraction effect in handsome colors.

From Time Magazine Archive

Any other color stone should show double refraction when tested by the sunlight-card method.

From A Text-Book of Precious Stones for Jewelers and the Gem-Loving Public by Wade, Frank Bertram

With this apparatus the laws of reflection, refraction and polarization can readily be verified, and also the double refraction of crystals, and of bodies possessing a fibrous or laminated structure such as jute or books.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various

In quartz ω = 1.5442, ε = 1.5533 and ε − ω = 0.0091; this mineral is therefore optically positive with low double refraction.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 7 "Crocoite" to "Cuba" by Various

The substance is usually optically isotropic, though sometimes it exhibits anomalous double refraction; fibrous zinc sulphide which is doubly refracting is to be referred to the hexagonal species wurtzite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 1 "Bisharin" to "Bohea" by Various