Answer to Question #191 in Optics for Kevin Parker

Question

Why the demonstration experiments on interference of the polarized beams is more convenient to be performed with thin, and not thick slices? Why, even with thin plates of Iceland spar is it difficult to obtain an interference pattern in white light?

Answer 1

Iceland spar has a very great difference between the ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices, so that even in thin plates large path difference are observed, in which the interference of white light is impossible.