Reflection from noncentrosymmetric uniaxial crystals: A multipole approach

A multiple theory is used to describe reflection and refraction at the interface of an isotropic medium and a transparent noncentrosymmetric crystal. Both optically active and optically inactive crystals are considered. Fresnel reflection amplitudes, which satisfy the requirements of reciprocity, are obtained for the uniaxial symmetry classes when the optic axis is normal to the boundary and parallel to it. These amplitudes are related to the angle of incidence and also to macroscopic property tensors of the crystal within the electric quadrupole-magnetic dipole approximation. Experiments based on the differential reflection of orthogonal polarizations of the incident light beam are described for measuring certain crystal properties. © 1996 Optical Society of America.