[meteorite-list] Microscope cross polarized light meteorite examination and new retardation plate

From: STARSANDSCOPES at aol.com <STARSANDSCOPES_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:55:57 EDT
Message-ID: <c9d.23e84c21.3513f11d_at_aol.com>

Hi list, Not all of you have interest in Microscopic examination of
meteorites to the point of wanting to talk about retardation wave plates but this is
cool and interesting.

The Sony Play Station 3 uses a Blue Ray disk reader. These devices have a
laser diode that emits light at 405nm (Violet) as well as one that operates at
660nm (Red) combined with 780nm (Near IR). This combination through one
reading lens (objective) requires some cool optics.

In the combination of cube polarizers there is a quarter wave plate that
produces violet, blue (and more) hues like no other retardation plate I have
tried. The plate is small (5mm) but that is big enough to use on a microscope
if you apply a little ingenuity.

If you are interested in what some of these micrographs look like, email me.
 I plan to do a Meteorite Times, Micro Vision article on this but that may
be a couple months out.

Right now I am working with a beautiful thin section of NWA 2977 (Lunar)
where the material was supplied by Jim Strope and the thins were arranged (To
his new standard of 1/4 micron DPU) by Jeff Hodges.

You have got to see this. I can draw out complex structures that are
completely hidden in ordinary cross polarized light.

Tom Phillips




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Received on Thu 20 Mar 2008 12:55:57 PM PDT