Birefringence Resulting from the Application of an Intense Beam of Light to an Isotropic Medium

Abstract

The interaction between a rapidly oscillating electric field, such as is found associated with a light wave, and anisotropic molecules is discussed and it is shown that there will be a tendency for the molecules to be oriented. An isotropic medium will therefore become doubly refracting, the optic axis being parallel to the electric vector of the oscillating field, or in the case of normal light to its direction of propagation. For the birefringence to be easily measurable a very intense beam of light would be necessary, and a flash apparatus would probably be the most suitable source.