Structural birefringence in amorphous solids

Summary

The result reported in an earlier investigation with vitreous silica is now shown to be true also for other amorphous solids, including especially inorganic glasses; besides the well-known photo-elastic effect, another kind of birefringence may be observed differing from the former both in its origins and in its observable characters. This “structural birefringence” arises from anisotropy of structure present in the solid by reason of the circumstances of its formation. It is conspieuously seen with plate glass whose optical behaviour shows it to have a highly laminated structure, while in moulded glass, it exhibits itself as luminous streaks or sheets of variously curved forms.

Numerous photographs illustrate the paper.