Optically induced anisotropy in photochromic glasses

Abstract

Optical anisotropy and color adaptation are induced in certain silver-halide photochromic glasses by optical bleaching with polarized visible light. These induced optical effects have been found to be reversible and present after thermal fading. An explanation of the induced effects is given in terms of preferential optical bleaching of anisotropically shaped silver specks on the halide microcrystal. A simple model is presented which predicts the correct order of magnitude of the induced dichroic effect.