Polarization and

Pleochroism
The polarization of light
Ordinary unpolarized light waves vibrate in all directions at right angles to their
line of travel.
However, if unpolarized light passes through a doubly refracting material (such
as a gemstone) it emerges as two separate polarized rays.
These rays now vibrate only in a single plane at right angles to each other and to
their direction of travel.
If we can devise a method which allows us to separate out one of these rays we
will have produced a source of plane polarized light.
Polarizing Filters
Before the development of present-day polarizing filters, one of the ways of
producing plane polarized light was to pass unpolarized light through a suitably
cut section of a doubly refracting mineral.
In 1813, T.J. Seebeck made a polarizing filter by cutting a section from a brown
tourmaline crystal parallel to its length (i.e. along its c axis).
Light entering this section produced two plane polarized rays, one of which (the
ordinary ray) was absorbed by the gem, while the other one (the extraordinary
ray) emerged as plane polarized light.
The disadvantage of this method was that the polarized light was much reduced
in intensity due to the colour of the tourmaline.
Later, in 1828, W. Nicol discovered that if a rhomb of optically clear calcite was
cut diagonally and the two sections cemented together again with ‘Canada
balsam’ (a tree resin), this could be used to produce polarized light.
The modified rhomb was subsequently known as a Nicol prism and for many
years provided the principal means of producing polarized light.
The majority of polarizing filters today consist of a plastic sheet
containing either microscopic crystals of quinine idosulphate or,
more recently, ‘long’ molecules.
The polariscope
Perhaps one of the most important applications of the polarizing filter occurs in
gemmology when two such filters are combined in an instrument called a
polariscope.
If a one filter is rotated by exactly 90° very little light will emerge, and the filters
are said to be in the crossed or extinction position. At any other angle the light
transmitted from the second filter will be somewhere between these two
extremes.
This crossed position of the polarizing filters is of practical importance to the
gemmologist because it provides a very sensitive test for double refraction in a
gemstone.
From the two polarizing filters, the lower one is called the polarizer, and the top
one the analyser.
Although the top one is often rotatable, it is usually locked in the crossed or
extinction position.
The lower filter is fixed in position, but for convenience and protection it is
usually covered by a rotatable glass platform to support the specimen under test
and allow it to be easily turned between the two filters.
Isotropic Stones
There will be very little light visible because polarized light from polarizer
passes through the sample without being changed by it and is then blocked by
the top filter.
Stone remain dark through 360 rotation.

Non-Crystalline or isotopic gemstones shows this feature

E.g.:
Glass
Amber
Some Garnets
Some Spinals
Anisotropic/Doubly Refractive Stones
During the 360 rotation the whole stone appears to alternate between transmitting light then
blocking it.
Appear as light to dark alternatively

The reason for this is that light entering in to the stone split in to two which are polarized and
planes are perpendicular to each other.
When the table of polariscope is rotated with the stone on it at 45 the plane of one of those
rays become parallel with that of analyser.
Then it appears light and the other ray is cut off. Another position no plane is parallel and then
it appears dark.
Double Refractive Aggregates
During 360 rotation the sample appears light is called as double refractive aggregates.

This is because randomly oriented small anisotropic crystals or crystal fibers.

These crystals/crystal fibers produce polarized rays which are parallel with analyser. Hence
throughout 360 light will be shown.
Ex:
Agate
Chrysoprate
Anomalous Double Refractive
When tested on polariscope, show dark curved bands. These bands
rotates as the sample is rotated.
Can observed in some isotropic materials such as glass, synthetic
spinel and some garnets
These are due to very strong internal stresses in the stones.
The effect in the synthetic garnet called “Tabby extinction”
In extreme cases of anomalous double refraction, stone appears as
doubly refractive stones and such situations are called “Pseudo
double refraction”.
Note:
When making this test it is important to check the sample in
at least two positions on the polariscope table if the first
position indicates that the specimen is singlyrefracting.
This is because a doubly-refracting stone viewed in the
direction of an optic axis will appear to be singly-refracting
2. The Conoscope
Conoscope is polariscope fitted with a strongly converging lens between two polarizing filters.
When the stone view along the optic axis of the stone in a polariscope, coloured lines can be
seen.
Optic axis: A direction or directions of an anisotropic gemstones along which there is a single refraction

When the conoscope attachment (lens) introduced it forms and is known as “Interference
figure”.
Uniaxial and biaxial stones can be separately identified using interference figures.