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

[STARSANDSCOPES 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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