Tourmaline is a uniaxial crystal with and (negative uniaxial) at the wavelength used

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Optics & Photonics · Polarisation and anisotropic media · Polarisation and anisotropic media

What an Instrument Can See, Ch Anisotropic media: the dielectric tensor and the index ellipsoid

Problem

Tourmaline is a uniaxial crystal with

n_o = 1.669

and

n_e = 1.638

(negative uniaxial) at the wavelength used. A plane wave propagates through a tourmaline plate 5.0 mm thick, cut so that the wave vector

\mathbf{k}

makes

35^\circ

with the optic axis. Using

\tan(\theta + \rho_w) = (n_o/n_e)^2\tan\theta

, where

\rho_w

is the walk-off angle between

\mathbf{k}

and the Poynting vector

\mathbf{S}

of the extraordinary wave, ((a)) find

\rho_w

; ((b)) find the lateral displacement between the ordinary and extraordinary beams after passing through the 5.0 mm thickness, measured along the plate's exit face.

Browse the problem library