Build your own portable polariscope

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We built our own device to look for polarization in materials. Below we explain how to make your own.

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Find the leads that power the screen backlight. Solder an old USB cable to the leads.

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3-5 volts are required

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Cut the polarizer off an old cell phone, laptop or LCD display.

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Place a polarizing film above the magnifier and the cell phone screen below the lens.

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System is powered. Polarizer film is not in place.

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The polarized film is now blocking the light.

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As pressure changes, colors change.

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Similar units are for sale on Amazon.

We use this for optics projects, but it is most often used by gemologists in their studies. More information is here http://www.gemologyproject.com/wiki/index.php?title=Polariscope

 

Need help? Click here to learn more about our custom optical engineering services.

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