Birefringence

Birefringence, also called double refraction, is the optical property of a material having a refractive index that depends on the polarization and propagation direction of light. These optically anisotropic materials are described as birefringent or birefractive. The birefringence is often quantified as the maximum difference between refractive indices exhibited by the material.

Crystals with non-cubic crystal structures are often birefringent, as are plastics under mechanical stress.

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Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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