Conoscopic interference pattern: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:12, 11 April 2012

Revision as of 23:09, 25 September 2013

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{{Technical|date=December 2009}}

:''This page is about the geology/optical mineralogy term. For general information about interference, see [[Interference (wave propagation)]] or [[Interference pattern(wave propagation)|Interference patterns]]s''.

A '''conoscopic interference pattern''' or '''interference figure''' is a pattern of rings caused by optical interference observed when diverging light rays travel through a non isotropic substance. It is the best way to determine if a [[mineral]] is uniaxial or biaxial and also for determining optic sign in [[optical mineralogy]]. The observed interference figure essentially shows all possible [[birefringence]] colors at once, including the extinctions (in dark bands called isogyres).