birefringency

Noun

birefringence (countable and uncountable, plural birefringences)

1. The splitting of a ray of light into two parallel rays of perpendicular polarization by passage through an optically anisotropic medium; the property of a material that light passing through it is so split.
   • In figure 6, the birefringence, δ, for 2H, 4H, 6H, and 15R is plotted as a function of wavelength.1972, J. Anthony Powell, Refractive Index and Birefringence of 2H Silicon Carbide, page 13

   Synonyms:

   birefraction, birefractivity, double refraction