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uniaxial crystal
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Figure 20: Wave surface for (A) positive and (B) negative uniaxial crystals.
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uniaxial crystal

physics
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Figure 20: Wave surface for (A) positive and (B) negative uniaxial crystals.
Figure 20: Wave surface for (A) positive and (B) negative uniaxial crystals.

Uniaxial crystals are a category within optical crystallography that exhibit double refraction. This means that when unpolarized light enters a uniaxial crystal, it splits into two rays: an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray. These rays travel at different speeds and are polarized in perpendicular planes.12

Uniaxial crystals belong to the tetragonal, hexagonal, and rhombohedral crystal systems. They have a single optical axis, and the refractive index of the extraordinary ray varies depending on its direction relative to this axis. In contrast, optically isotropic crystals, such as those in the isometric system, have only one refractive index for each color of light.12

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. optical crystallography
  2. double refraction
  3. hexagonal system

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