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
Sodium chlorate is a cubic crystal, so apart from its optical activity it is isotropic, with index n=1.515 at 589 nm. Its optical activity is described by a gyration vector of magnitude G=1.54×10−5 along the direction of travel.
((a)) Find the difference Δn between the indices of the two circular eigenmodes.
((b)) Find the rotation of the plane of polarisation per millimetre, in degrees.
((c)) Find the thickness of crystal that turns a linear input through 90∘.