Related papers: Evolution and the Calcite Eye Lens
Gravitational lenses are a unique new constraint on the structure of galaxies. We review the evidence that most lenses are early-type galaxies, the optical properties of the lens galaxies, the evidence against constant M/L models, recent…
In the context of the LAUE project devoted to build a Laue lens prototype for focusing celestial hard X-/soft gamma-rays, a Laue lens made of bent crystal tiles, with 20 m focal length, is simulated. The focusing energy passband is assumed…
We describe the properties of birefringent left-handed metamaterials and introduce the concept of a birefringent perfect lens. We demonstrate that, in a sharp contrast to the conventional left-handed perfect lens at $\epsilon=\mu=-1$, where…
Graded index (GRIN) lenses are commonly used for compact imaging systems. It is not widely appreciated that the ion-exchange process that creates the rotationally symmetric GRIN lens index profile also causes a symmetric birefringence…
The linear birefringence of uniaxial crystal plates is known since the 17th century, and it is widely used in numerous optical setups and devices. Here we demonstrate, both theoretically and experimentally, a fine lateral circular…
The study of light lensed by cosmic matter has yielded much information about astrophysical questions. Observations are explained using geometrical optics following a ray-based description of light. After deflection the lensed light…
Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common biominerals found in plants. They also make their presence known as painful kidney stones in humans and animals. Their function in plants is extraordinarily versatile and encompasses calcium…
Massive structures, such as galaxies, act as strong gravitational lenses on background sources. When the background source is a quasar, several lensed images are seen, as magnified or de-magnified versions of the same object. The detailed…
There are two possible causes of variability in gravitationally lensed quasars: intrinsic fluctuations of the quasar and ``microlensing'' by compact objects along the line of sight. If disentangled from each other, microlens-induced…
We extend the recently developed classical theory for the optical response of a single-layer crystal to bilayers. We account for the interaction between the two atomic planes and the multiple reflections inside the crystals. We show how to…
We examine array of metal-mesh frameworks for their wide-band absorption. These take the form of quasi-crystal optical cages. An array of cages tends to focus the incoming radiation within each framework. An array of cage-within-cage…
Elastically bent single-crystal Laue case diffraction crystals provide interesting new opportunities for imaging and spectroscopy applications. The diffraction properties are well understood, however, the ability to easily model the…
Optical lattices can be loaded with atoms which can have strong interactions, such that the interaction of atoms at different lattice sites cannot be neglected. Moreover, the intersite interactions can be so strong that it can force the…
The metallicity distribution function of globular clusters (GCs) in galaxies is a key to understanding galactic formation and evolution. The calcium II triplet (CaT) index has recently become a popular metal abundance indicator thanks to…
Despite the recent advances in augmented reality (AR), which has shown the potential to significantly impact on our daily lives by offering a new way to manipulate and interact with virtual information, minimizing visual discomfort due to…
Birefringence, an inherent characteristic of optically anisotropic materials, is widely utilized in various imaging applications ranging from material characterizations to clinical diagnosis. Polarized light microscopy enables…
We consider microlensing of an elliptical source crossing a fold caustic. We derive a simple expression for the light curve of a source with uniform surface brightness that is accurate to third order in the ellipticity e (yielding errors of…
Molecular and polymeric crystals show a wide range of functional properties that arise from the interplay between the atomic-scale structure of their constituent molecules and the organization of these molecules within the crystal lattice…
Expressions corresponding to the transmission of a uniaxial optically active crystal platelet are provided for an optical axis parallel and perpendicular to the plane of interface. The optical activity is taken into account by a consistent…
While many strong gravitational lens galaxies are suspected to lie in groups or clusters of galaxies, environmental effects in lens models are often unconstrained and sometimes ignored. We show that this creates significant biases in a…