Programme : Bachelor of Science (Second Year)

Subject : Geology

Semester : IV

Course Code : GEL-IV.E-6A

Course Title : Optical Mineralogy

Module : III

Lecture : Convergent Light

Meghana S Devli, PhD

Assistant Professor
Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao-Goa
Outline

• Introduction

• Settings in a Microscope

• Significance

• Summary
Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to explain convergent light.

Introduction

• Different mineral sections can be observed from different directions at one and the same time.

• Possible in the conoscopic mode/Convergent polarized light.

Settings in a Microscope
• The essential elements of the mode are:
1) an auxiliary condenser below the stage
2) a high power objective preferably with 45X magnification and
3) a Bertrand lens inserted above the analyser.

• Some microscopes are also provided with a substage diaphragm between the polariser and the
condenser.
• The sub stage condenser focuses the light so that it passes through the crystal in many
directions &

• High power objective catches the rays so passed and directs them along the tube of the
microscope.

• The Bertrand lens brings the image of the interference figure into focus in the ocular.
• When an anisotropic crystal is viewed in crossed polarized light, its optical properties
are found to vary depending upon the direction of the rays.

• If the rays travel parallel to an optic axis, the crystal remains dark at all positions of the
microscope stage.
• However, if the rays travel along any other direction, the crystal goes into extinction only
when its vibration direction coincide with those of the polariser and the analyser.

• In other positions, it shows interference colours, which vary with the birefringence of the
section, normal to the rays and the thickness of the crystal traversed by the rays.

• Thus, different aspects of an anisotropic crystal are seen when it is viewed from different
angles.
• It would be instructive and interesting if we could observe the crystal from different directions
at one and the same time.

• Such an opportunity, though seemingly impossible, is provided by the conoscopic mode,

wherein the substage condenser focuses the light so that it passes through the crystal in many
directions and the high power objective catches the rays so passed and directs them along the
tube of the microscope. (Fig. 1).

• Thus, one may look along all those rays contained within a cone whose angle will depend on the
way the lens is made.

• In this mode the crystal is said to be observed in the convergent polarized light.
• The view that is obtained between crossed polars in this arrangement is called the
interference figure.

• The Bertrand lens brings the image of the interference figure into focus in the ocular.

• Good figures but of small size, can be obtained by removing the ocular and not using the
Bertrand lens.
• Interference figures show a variation depending on whether the mineral is uniaxial or biaxial and
also on the orientation of the section being observed.
Significance

• The view that is obtained between crossed polars in this arrangement is called the interference
figure.

• Interference figures show a variation depending on whether the mineral is uniaxial or biaxial
and on the orientation of the section being observed.
Summary
• Minerals when observed in convergent light are said be to conoscopic.

• The view is called the Uniaxial Interference Figure or Biaxial Interference Figure.
Q&A

1. What adjustments are needed within a microscope to view a mineral in convergent mode?
References

Mandatory Reading
• Kerr, P., 1977, Optical Mineralogy, McGraw Hill Publishers.
• Nesse, D. W., 2012, Introduction to Optical Mineralogy, Oxford University Press.
• Perkins, Dexter. Mineralogy. Pearson New International Edition

Supplementary reading
• Klein, Cornelis and Hurlbut, Cornelis. Manual of Mineralogy
Thank You