noun
- the property of certain transparent materials to split a ray of light into two rays that travel at different speeds and vibrate in perpendicular planes
Usage: technical; physics; optics
Examples
- Calcite crystals exhibit birefringence, causing light to split into two distinct beams.
- The birefringence of certain minerals makes them useful in optical instruments.
- Scientists use birefringence to study the molecular structure of materials.
- Polarizing filters work by exploiting the birefringence of special crystals.
- The birefringence effect in quartz is commonly observed in geology labs.