Like Transmitted Polarized Light,
REFLECTED POLARIZED LIGHT is an illumination technique
in which a polarizing filter is placed between the light source and the
specimen (Polarizer), and another polarizing filter is placed between
the specimen and the eye (Analyzer). When these filters are engaged and crossed a
black-out effect occurs called Extinction. Simple Reflected
Polarized Light filters are very common accessories on Brightfield
and Brightfield/ Darkfield Reflected Light
microscopes. They are, in fact, required for Reflected Light Differential
Interference Contrast microscopes. True Polarizing microscopes, as
described on the Transmitted Polarizing Light
page, can also be outfitted with Reflected Polarized Light in most
cases. Reflected Polarized Light is often used in the Geological
sciences as well as in the Ceramics industry.
