Optically anomalous crystals

Opening with a historical survey, this monograph traces the work of earlier crystallographers such as Brewster, Biot, Mallard, Brauns and Tammann. It then provides a grounding in crystal optics before turning to the two principal causes of optical anomalies: the piezo-optic effect and the kinetic ordering of atoms.

Later chapters address complex, inhomogeneous crystals, where several anomalies with different origins overlap and produce intricate optical behavior. The author surveys the published literature thoroughly, and grounds his analysis in detailed case studies drawn from illustrations produced in his own laboratories.

The book is aimed at crystallographers, mineralogists and petrologists who study how minerals and synthetic crystals grow and how they behave optically. It will also serve students of optical mineralogy, practising scientists and engineers, and historians of science.