Optical characteristics of triclinic rubidium hydrogen selenate

The refractive indices of rubidium hydrogen selenate are measured for several wavelengths at room temperature, and the transmission spectrum is measured hom the UV (240 nm) to the near IR (2000 nm). The orientation of the optical indicatrix with respect to the crystal axes is also determined at several wavelengths in the visible range. Using a new method based on the deflection of light by the ferroelastic domain structure, we also determine refined values for birefringence at several wavelengths. Finally, the dispersion of the three birefringences in the range 450-900 mo is deduced from polarimetric measurements. This set of results yields complete knowledge of the linear optical characteristics required for interpretation of the electro-optical and nonlinear optical properties of this compound. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.