total internal reflection

noun

1. physics the complete reflection of a light ray at the boundary of two media, when the ray is in the medium with greater refractive index

Example Sentences

This is analogous to so-called total internal reflection of light rays.

Read more on Scientific American

The same phenomenon of “broken” total internal reflection, but with light rays instead of water waves, is used in certain types of touch screen displays.

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I find this statement apparently inconsistent the notion that propagation in an optical fiber relies on the principle of total internal reflection which requires the signal carrying inner fiber to be wrapped with a lower index of refraction cladding.

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Instead, the authors propose that light rays entering a droplet along an edge are redirected along the curved surface of the droplet by a process known as total internal reflection.

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This means that light finds it hard to escape once it is inside a piece of tungsten oxide because it is bounced back and forth by a phenomenon called total internal reflection, increasing the chance it will be absorbed.

Read more on Economist