Antonij said:
A ray is coming at a grazing angle (above critical angle) from the optically denser material through the gradient. Will the ray be bent perpendicularily from the normal, traveling in straight line perpendicular to the normal no mayter how steep is the gradient?sophiecentaur said:
Your picture is accurate to what i was asking about, except there is a smooth transition between high and low index, not an interface. I know that for a sufficiently "slow changing" gradient this is possible. The question is if there's a limit to how "fast changing" gradient can be so that it behaves the same wayDaveC426913 said:
A refractive index gradient is a measure of how quickly the refractive index changes with distance. It is used to describe how light is bent as it passes through a medium, such as air or water.
The refractive index gradient is typically measured using a technique called interferometry. This involves splitting a beam of light and then recombining the beams to create an interference pattern, which can be used to calculate the refractive index gradient.
Yes, there is a limit to how steep the refractive index gradient can be. This limit is known as the critical angle and it is determined by the properties of the medium through which the light is passing. Beyond the critical angle, the light will undergo total internal reflection instead of being refracted.
The refractive index gradient is affected by several factors, including the properties of the medium (such as density and temperature), the wavelength of the light, and the angle at which the light enters the medium.
The refractive index gradient is important because it influences the behavior of light as it passes through a medium. This can have a significant impact on the performance of optical devices, such as lenses and prisms, and is also essential for understanding natural phenomena such as mirages and rainbows.
