Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Law of Rational Indices

Law of Rational Indices

The Law of rational indices is a fundamental principle in the field of crystallography. According to this law, the intercepts of a crystal face along the crystallographic axes (the three-dimensional axes along which a crystal is measured) can be expressed as either equivalent to the unit intercepts (a, b, c) or simple whole number multiples of them. These multiples are typically denoted as na, n'b, and n''c, where n, n', and n'' are simple whole numbers.To illustrate, consider a crystal with...

Determination of Crystal Structures

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...

X-ray Crystallography

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed X-ray crystallography.
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...

The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview

The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview

Crystals with various point group symmetries belong to different crystal classes, which are synonymous terms. Despite being in the same class, crystals may have distinct shapes, like cubes and octahedra. There are 32 three-dimensional point groups, all of which are systematically divided into seven crystal systems.The basic cubic crystal system, exemplified by NaCl, features orthogonal vectors (α = β = �� = 90°) of equal lengths (a = b = c). When specific requirements are not imposed on the...

Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section

Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section

When a material is subjected to uniaxial stress, it elongates or contracts in the direction of the applied force, and also undergoes changes in the perpendicular directions. This behavior is crucial for understanding how materials behave under stress and is governed by mechanical properties such as Poisson's ratio v, which measures the ratio of transverse strain to axial strain.
As the material stretches, it expands or contracts in orthogonal directions to the load. This phenomenon varies...

Structures of Solids

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

[The value of cell free DNA <i>of Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> in the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis].

Zhonghua jie he he hu xi za zhi = Zhonghua jiehe he huxi zazhi = Chinese journal of tuberculosis and respiratory diseases·2023

Same author

Ray-tracing calculations for uniaxial optical components with curved surfaces.

Applied optics·2010

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Published on: August 13, 2019

Simple ray tracing formulas for uniaxial optical crystals.

|June 22, 2010

Summary

This study introduces a simplified ray tracing method for uniaxial crystals, yielding clearer physical insights and general formulas for extraordinary ray directions. The new approach offers advantages over traditional Huygens

Area of Science:

Optics and Photonics
Crystallography
Computational Physics

Background:

Ray tracing is crucial for understanding light propagation in anisotropic media.
Uniaxial crystals exhibit unique optical properties due to their crystallographic structure.
Existing methods, like Huygens' construction, can be complex for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a novel and simplified method for ray tracing in uniaxial crystals.
To derive general formulas for the direction of extraordinary rays.
To offer a clearer physical understanding compared to existing techniques.

Main Methods:

Development of a new ray tracing algorithm tailored for uniaxial crystal optics.
Derivation of analytical formulas governing extraordinary ray propagation.

More Related Videos

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

In situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering on Roll-To-Roll Coating of Organic Solar Cells with Laboratory X-ray Instrumentation

In situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering on Roll-To-Roll Coating of Organic Solar Cells with Laboratory X-ray Instrumentation

Published on: March 2, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Published on: August 13, 2019

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

In situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering on Roll-To-Roll Coating of Organic Solar Cells with Laboratory X-ray Instrumentation

In situ Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering on Roll-To-Roll Coating of Organic Solar Cells with Laboratory X-ray Instrumentation

Published on: March 2, 2021

Comparative analysis with Huygens' construction for validation and clarity assessment.

Main Results:

A straightforward method for ray tracing in uniaxial crystals was successfully developed.
General formulas for predicting the direction of extraordinary rays were obtained.
The proposed method demonstrates enhanced simplicity and a clearer physical interpretation.

Conclusions:

The novel ray tracing method provides a more accessible approach to studying light propagation in uniaxial crystals.
The derived formulas facilitate accurate prediction of extraordinary ray behavior.
This work offers a valuable tool for researchers and engineers in optics and materials science.