A method of precise determination of the optical constants of uniaxial crystals from the compensator parameters

A method of determination of the refractive indices of uniaxial crystals from the compensator parameters is proposed. In this case, the accuracy is limited by the temperature fluctuations inside a crystal. The orientation of the optical axis with respect to the surface and the thickness and the thermal expansion coefficient of the crystal can be determined additionally. This method can be used for precise determination of the refractive indices and absorption coefficients of biaxial crystals. Experimental results of determination of the temperature coefficients of the refractive indices and of linear expansion for a plane-parallel plate cut from artificial crystalline quartz parallel to the optical axis are presented.