Open AccessInterference-contrast optical activity: a new technique for probing the chirality of anisotropic samples and more
Author(s) -
Robert P. Cameron,
Ulrich Vogl,
Ν. Trautmann
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
royal society open science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 51
ISSN - 2054-5703
DOI - 10.1098/rsos.192201
Subject(s) - chirality (physics) , birefringence , anisotropy , rotation (mathematics) , interference (communication) , sample (material) , optical rotation , optics , contrast (vision) , materials science , nanotechnology , physics , computer science , computer vision , telecommunications , channel (broadcasting) , chiral symmetry breaking , quantum mechanics , nambu–jona lasinio model , thermodynamics , quark
We introduce interference-contrast optical activity (ICOA) as a new technique for probing the chirality of anisotropic samples and more. ICOA could underpin a new class of ‘chiral microscopes’, with potential applications spanning the range of chirality and beyond. Two possible versions of ICOA are described explicitly; one designed to probe the optical rotation of a transparent sample regardless of the sample’s linear birefringence (ICOA-OR) and another designed to probe gradients in the optical rotation of a transparent sample (ICOA-GOR). Simulated results for α -quartz lead us to suggest that ICOA-GOR might be applied to help monitor the growth of chiral crystals in the pharmaceutical industry. Possible directions for future research are highlighted.