When a calcite crystal is placed onto a printed page, the letters appear doubled. This is the result of a property called birefringence. A new material that is among the most birefringent solids ever ...

This release is also availabe in German. When a calcite crystal is placed onto a printed page, the letters appear doubled. This is the result of a property called birefringence. Scientists at the ...

Calcite's birefringence produces two images of text with different polarizations. A correctly oriented polarizer screens out one of the images. The calcite crystal is fragile. Handle with care. The ...

Owing to their ease of processing, low weight, high transparency and low cost, optical polymers are widely used as key materials for various optical devices, such as lenses, optical disks and optical ...

The eye of the peacock mantis shrimp has led an international team of researchers to develop a two-part waveplate that could improve CD, DVD, blu-ray and holographic technology, creating even higher ...

Researchers have demonstrated an idea for an invisibility cloak using calcite, a common crystalline material. Cloaking relies on guiding light waves such that waves from a hidden object do not reach ...