Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Optical polarizer material

Patent ·
OSTI ID:678592

Several crystals have been identified which can be grown using standard single crystals growth techniques and which have a high birefringence. The identified crystals include Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3, LiNaCO.sub.3, LiKCO.sub.3, LiRbCO.sub.3 and LiCsCO.sub.3. The condition of high birefringence leads to their application as optical polarizer materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the crystal has the chemical formula LiK.sub.(1-w-x-y) Na.sub.(1-w-x-z) Rb.sub.(1-w-y-z) Cs.sub.(1-x-y-z) CO.sub.3, where w+x+y+z=1. In another embodiment, the crystalline material may be selected from a an alkali metal carbonate and a double salt of alkali metal carbonates, where the polarizer has a Wollaston configuration, a Glan-Thompson configuration or a Glan-Taylor configuration. A method of making an LiNaCO.sub.3 optical polarizer is described. A similar method is shown for making an LiKCO.sub.3 optical polarizer.

Research Organization:
University of California
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
Assignee:
Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
Patent Number(s):
US 5,945,037/A/
Application Number:
PAN: 8-611,154
OSTI ID:
678592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Optical polarizer material
Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1998 · OSTI ID:872485

Carbon dioxide sensor
Patent · Mon Nov 14 23:00:00 EST 2011 · OSTI ID:1033228

Anti-perovskite solid electrolyte compositions
Patent · Fri Dec 25 23:00:00 EST 2015 · OSTI ID:1237288