Polarizing interferential systems having a light source, a compensator element, an object, and a beam splitter element in optical alignment which utilize only a single birefringent wedge in the compensator element and only a single birefringent wedge in the beam splitter element are useful for the study of objects exhibiting light amplitude and/or phase properties. By tilting either the optic axis with respect to the light system, the entire wedge or both, it is possible to eliminate the dual wedge elements of the prior art and have greater versitility in instrument design.
A reflected light differential interference microscope (100) having a birefringent optical member (B). Each birefringent optical member has a ray-separating plane (Q.sub.B) that intersects the optical axis (A2') at an intersection point (P.sub.B) at a first angle (.beta.) with respect to a reference plane (P.sub.2) oriented perpendicular to the optical axis. The microscope further includes an objective lens (113) having a focal point (F.sub.113) along the optical axis. The birefringent optical member is designed so as to be movable along a line oriented at a second angle (.gamma.) with respect to the reference plane in a manner that maintains the intersection point and the focal point substantially coincident. This allows for the color of the image (115) to be varied without degrading the image quality.
A highly luminous device for interferential spectrometry, comprises a birefringent beam-splitting interferometer combined with an optical system supplying localized fringes. As the beam-splitter element, it has at least one birefringent prism mounted along the optical axis of the device and producing an angular splitting, such as a Wollaston prism, of materials suitable for the construction of such prisms and selected as a function of birefringence and transparent over a wide range of wave lengths. The beam-splitter is placed between a polarizer and an analyzer of variable orientation to obtain flux modulation.
The differential interference microscope comprises a beam splitter and a compensator, either one being made of a positive birefringent substance and the other being made of a negative birefringent substance, which are arranged in such a manner that the optic axes of both the prisms are located substantially on the same plane, or a polarizing optical element composed by combining a wedge-shaped prism made of a positive birefringent substance with another wedge-shaped prism made of a negative birefringent substance in such a manner that the optic axes of both the prisms are located substantially on the same plane. The differential interference microscope is capable of providing a uniform visual field without enhancing manufacturing cost therefor nor enlarging the space to be occupied thereby.
A polarizing device which separates a beam (1) into polarized component beams (9) and (10) by transmitting beams through isotropic elements (2) and (4) and birefringent plate (3).
In the transmission illumination type differential interference microscope, light in a given polarized state is separated by a first birefringent optical member 1 into two linearly polarized light components L1 and L2 and both of the polarized light components are converted into parallel light by means of a condenser lens 13. The object being examined 15 is illuminated by the polarized light components which are then converted into convergent light by an objective 16. Both of the polarized light components are then synthesized into a single light beam by a second birefringent optical element 2 and both of the polarized light components of the synthesized light beam are caused to undergo polarization interference by an analyzer 17 so that an enlarged image 18 of the object being examined 15, is formed. At least one of the first and second birefringent optical members 1 and 2 is formed by joining one isotropic prism 1g or 2g, consisting of an isotropic optical material, and one birefringent prism 1a or 2a, consisting of a birefringent optical material.
