electron optics

[Allan Adler]

As I understand what I've read about electron optics, one basically
reduces the problem of electron motion to the motion of light in
a medium whose index of refraction is different at every point.
Such a medium may be described as "inhomogeneous". I could be mistaken
but I also have the impression that this inhomogeneous medium is also
isotropic, in the sense that at any given point the index of refraction
is the same in all directions at that point.

What I would like to know is whether there are any conditions under which
electron optics can be described by light in a medium which is possibly
still inhomogeneous but but which is anisotropic. If so, please let me
know where I can read about it, preferably in books.

Ignorantly,
Allan Adler
ara@zurich.ai.mit.edu

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* *
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT Artificial *
* Intelligence Lab. My actions and comments do not reflect *
* in any way on MIT. Moreover, I am nowhere near the Boston *
* metropolitan area. *
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[will e]

Glass and unstressed plastic are isotropic and can have multiple points
within the medium that exhibit different R.I. By applying stress to the
glass or plastic, local zones within the medium have anisotropic
properties. This can be directly observed under crossed Polaroids. You can
also create anisotropic crystals from isotropic crystals. However,
"inhomogeneous" might not apply here. In anisotropic crystals R.I. is a
directional phenomena rather than a point effect. Will E.

"Allan Adler" <ara@nestle.ai.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:y93ad6t9bc1.fsf@nestle.ai.mit.edu...

As I understand what I've read about electron optics, one basically
reduces the problem of electron motion to the motion of light in
a medium whose index of refraction is different at every point.
Such a medium may be described as "inhomogeneous". I could be mistaken
but I also have the impression that this inhomogeneous medium is also
isotropic, in the sense that at any given point the index of refraction
is the same in all directions at that point.

What I would like to know is whether there are any conditions under which
electron optics can be described by light in a medium which is possibly
still inhomogeneous but but which is anisotropic. If so, please let me
know where I can read about it, preferably in books.

Ignorantly,
Allan Adler
ara@zurich.ai.mit.edu


****************************************************************************
*
*
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT Artificial
*
* Intelligence Lab. My actions and comments do not reflect
*
* in any way on MIT. Moreover, I am nowhere near the Boston
*
* metropolitan area.
*
*
*

****************************************************************************

 

[Phil Hobbs]

Allan Adler wrote:

As I understand what I've read about electron optics, one basically
reduces the problem of electron motion to the motion of light in
a medium whose index of refraction is different at every point.
Such a medium may be described as "inhomogeneous". I could be mistaken
but I also have the impression that this inhomogeneous medium is also
isotropic, in the sense that at any given point the index of refraction
is the same in all directions at that point.

What I would like to know is whether there are any conditions under which
electron optics can be described by light in a medium which is possibly
still inhomogeneous but but which is anisotropic. If so, please let me
know where I can read about it, preferably in books.

Haven't got a reference, but you can make a spin sorter using electric
and magnetic fields, which is a good analogy to an anistoropic optical
medium. n

Cheers,

Phil Hobbs