OPERATIONZEISS Illumination and contrast methods in transmitted light … Axioscope 5/7/Vario102 430035-7344-001 03/2018(4) ConclusionsAccording to the Michel-Lévy color table(656HFig. 4-11), the gray-white color which occurs inthe bright position as discussed in the exampleabove (Fig. 4-10/1) corresponds to a pathdifference of 150 nm.After insertion of the λ compensator thesurroundings of the artificial fiber which is notbirefringent show a bright red which correspondsto a path difference of the compensator of 550 nm(the first order interference color for the pathdifference of 550 nm corresponds to 1 λ).If the polarization direction of the birefringencesample to be investigated is parallel to the largestpolarization direction of the compensator λ, i.e. inthe NE-SW direction, the path difference of thesample (i.e. gray-white: 150 nm) and the pathdifference of the λ compensator (red: 550 nm) addup. This leads to a change in color of the samplefrom gray-white to blue-green (resulting pathdifference = 700 nm).If the polarization direction of the birefringence sample to be investigated is perpendicular to the largestpolarization direction of the λ compensator, i.e. in the NW-SE direction, the path difference of thesample (e.g. gray-white: 150 nm) is subtracted from the path difference of the λ compensator (red:550 nm). This leads to a change in color of the sample from gray-white to orange (resulting pathdifference = 400 nm).NOTEMichel-Lévy color tables can be ordered under literature catalog no. 42-312.Fig. 4-11 Diagram of the Michel-Lévy colortables
