LIGHT DEFLECTION INDUCED BY FERROELASTIC LAYERED DOMAINS

Specific light deflection phenomena are observed in ferroelastic cryst als. Above a critical angle of incidence alpha(c) four deflected beams , which are linearly polarized, are observed with a laser beam inciden ce. The polarizing directions of the deflected beams are directly rela ted to the directions of axes of the optical indicatrix in the ferroel astic domains. The relation between the angle of incidence alpha and t he angles of deflection chi, and the polarizing directions of the defl ected beams are explained by the Huygens constructions to the ray-velo city cross sections at the crystal surfaces and the domain walls in th e incident plane. This optical phenomenon is confirmed as a specific p roperty of ferroelastic crystals with multidomains. The properties of the deflected beams are described in detail.