arXiv · 0905.1922
Aerogel Waveplates
Abstract
Optical transmission measurements were made on 98% porosity silica aerogel samples under various degrees of uniaxial strain. Uniaxially compressed aerogels exhibit large birefringence, proportional to the amount of compression, up to the 15% strain studied. The birefringence is mostly reversible and reproducible through multiple compression-decompression cycles. Our study demonstrates that uniaxially strained high porosity aerogels can be used as tunable waveplates in a broad spectral range.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
P. Bhupathi, J. Hwang, R. M. Martin, J. Blankstein, L. Jaworski, N. Mulders, D. B. Tanner, Y. Lee. 2009-05-12. Aerogel Waveplates. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.17.010599
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.