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Birefringence Induced by Light in Potassium Chloride Crystals Coloured by Ionizing Radiation
Author(s) -
Damm J. Z.,
Słukaszewicz K.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.19630031010
Subject(s) - birefringence , wavelength , anisotropy , optics , materials science , ionizing radiation , radiation , potassium , refraction , optoelectronics , irradiation , physics , nuclear physics , metallurgy
A new anisotropic effect is oberserved in some potassium chloride crystals coloured by ionizing radiation. The coloured samples exhibit birefringence after illumination with ordinary or polarized light. By using suitable illumination conditions it is possible to obtain both uni‐ and biaxial crystals with optical directions parallel to the cube edges, and possessing either negative or positive optical signs. It is found that only light of wavelength between 625 and 750 nm is effective in producing the optical anisotropy and that the light undergoing double refraction lies in the same range of wavelengths. Some properties of the defects responsible for the birefringence and a possible mechanism of the effect are discussed.