half-wave plate

American  

[haf-wayv, hahf-] / ˈhæfˌweɪv, ˈhɑf- /

noun

Optics.

1. a crystal thin enough to cause a phase difference of 180° between the ordinary and extraordinary rays of polarized light, thereby changing the direction of the plane of polarization.

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Etymology

Origin of half-wave plate

First recorded in 1900–05

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half-wave plate

It is as far as possible from being true that a body emitting homogeneous light would disappear on merely covering half the aperture of vision with a half-wave plate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 4 "Diameter" to "Dinarchus" by Various

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