Crystal optics of absorbing and gyrotropic media

AbstractOptical parameters of various crystals are considered. It is shown what proper waves propagate in absorbing and gyrotropic crystals, and then in crystals which possess absorption and gyrotropy simultaneously. It is also shown that in such crystals proper wave ellipticities are different, and the waves are non-orthogonal. The solutions of boundary problems are given for crystals with a different set of optical properties. On the basis of these solutions various methods for determining the optical parameters are suggested: birefringence, dichroism, proper wave ellipticities, non-orthogonality angle, circular dichroism, refraction indices and absorption coefficients in strongly absorbing crystals. Some examples of crystal investigations are given