Abstract

The optical rotatory power of α-quartz decreases linearly with uniaxial pressure along the optic axis in the visible region of the spectrum to 750 bars. By comparing with similar data on dρ/dP under hydrostatic conditions we conclude that Chandrasekhar’s coupled-oscillator theory of optical activity of α-quartz is an oversimplification. We show that though the major contribution to the optical activity arises from the interaction of oscillators along the optic axis, the contribution from the interaction of all the other oscillators in the system cannot be neglected. Further, the optical activity increases linearly with temperature in the range from 15° to 35°C in the visible region of the spectrum; this is primarily due to a volume effect rather than to a pure temperature effect.

© 1968 Optical Society of America

Pressure Variation of the Optical Rotatory Power of α Quartz

V. Vyšín and V. Janků
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 61(6) 770-772 (1971)

Effect of Pressure on the Optical Rotatory Power and Dispersion of α-Quartz

M. B. Myers and K. Vedam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56(12) 1741-1745 (1966)

Effect of Pressure on the Optical Rotatory Power and Dispersion of Crystalline Sodium Chlorate

M. B. Myers and K. Vedam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57(9) 1146-1148 (1967)

Nonlinear Variation of the Refractive Indices of α-Quartz with Pressure*

K. Vedam and T. A. Davis
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57(9) 1140-1145 (1967)

Pressure Dependence of the Refractive Indices of the Tetragonal Crystals: ADP, KDP, CaMoO₄, CaWO₄, and Rutile*

T. A. Davis and K. Vedam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 58(11) 1446-1451 (1968)