birefringence
noun/baɪɹɪˈfɹɪnd͡ʒəns/
Etymology From bi- + refringence.
1
Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics The splitting of a ray of light into two parallel rays of perpendicular polarization by passage through an optically anisotropic medium; the property of a material that light passing through it is so split.
- In figure 6, the birefringence, δ, for 2H, 4H, 6H, and 15R is plotted as a function of wavelength.1972, J. Anthony Powell, Refractive Index and Birefringence of 2H Silicon Carbide, page 13:
- This means that, in contrast to the relaxation after steady shear flow, one has actually to expect that there will be a significant difference in the speeds of relaxation of birefringence and recoverable shear like the difference suggested by the courses of curves I and II of Fig.4.1.1983, Hermann Janeschitz-Kriegl, Polymer Melt Rheology and Flow Birefringence, Springer, page 424:
2 more examples
- In this paper, two-dimensional thermal and mechanical stress-induced birefringence measurements in laser-diode-pumped solid-state laser materials using the new polarimeter are described.1994, Technology Reports of the Osaka University, Volumes 44-45, Osaka University, page 254:
- 2012, Luís A. Fernandes, Birefringence and Bragg grating control in femtosecond laser written optical circuits, Departamento de Física e Astronomia da Universidade do Porto, page 112, Heat accumulation in borosilicate glass [23] has [been] shown to produce lower birefringence due to radial stress regions as opposed to the more asymmetric stress produced in fused silica [136, 137]; however, these features remain unexplored in most glasses.
- Derived terms
- nonbirefringence
- Related terms
- birefringent, monorefringence, refringence, trirefringence, birefraction, birefractive, birefractivity, dextrorotation, laevorotation, levorotation