DESCRIPTION OF POLARIZING INSTRUMENTS.
68. Rotation Instruments.—This instrument has already been described as one in which the extent of deviation in the plane of polarized light caused by the intervention of an optically active substance is measured by rotating one of the nicols about its axis and measuring the degree of this rotation by a vernier on a graduated arc.
In Germany these instruments are called polaristrobometers, and in France polarimètrés. In England and this country the term polariscope or polarimeter is applied without discrimination to all kinds of optical saccharimeters.
The polariscope of Mitscherlich was one of the earliest in use. It has now been entirely superseded by more modern and accurate instruments.
69. The Laurent Instrument.—A polariscope adapted by Laurent to the use of monochromatic yellow light is almost exclusively used in France and to a considerable extent in this country. In case a worker is confined to the use of a single instrument, the one just mentioned is to be recommended as the best suited to general work. It has the second nicol, called the analyzer, movable and the degree of rotation produced is secured in angular terms directly on a divided circle. The scale is graduated both in angular measurements and in per cents of sugar for a definite degree of concentration of the solution and length of observation tube. The normal solution in the laurent instrument contains 16.19 grams of pure sugar in 100 true cubic centimeters, and the length of the observation tube is 200 millimeters. Both the angular rotation and the direct percentage of sugar can be read at the same time. Great accuracy can be secured by making the readings in each of the four quadrants. The light is rendered yellow monochromatic by bringing into the flames of a double bunsen, spoons made of platinum wire, which carry fragments of fused sodium chlorid.
Figure 33. Laurent Lamp.
70. The Laurent Burner.—The theory of the illumination of the laurent burner is illustrated by the accompanying [Fig. 33]. The lamp consists essentially of two bunsens, surmounted by a chimney.[38] A curved spoon made of platinum gauze serves to hold the fused particles of sodium chlorid which are used to produce the yellow light. The spoon is shown at G, held by the arm F, fastened by the key P. The interior intense flame B B is surrounded by an exterior less highly colored flame A A. It is important that the optical axis of the polariscope be directed accurately upon the disk B, which is the most intense part of the illumination. The point of the spoon carrying the salt should be coincident with the prolongation of the lamp TT, so that it just strikes the edge of the blue flame. Care should be taken not to press the spoons into the interior of the flame as by so doing the intensity of the illumination is very much diminished. Great care must be observed in the position of the spoon G, and the platinum arm F being flexible, the operator with a little patience, will be enabled to properly place the spoon by bending it. Moreover, if the spoon be pressed too far into the flame, the melted particles of salt collecting in the bottom of G may drop into the lamp and occlude the orifices through which the gas enters. The light of the yellow flame produced by the lamp may be further purified by passing through a prism filled with a solution of potassium dichromate, or better, a homogeneous disk cut from a crystal of that salt.
Since the flame produced by the above device is not perfectly constant, being more intense at the moment of introducing a fresh portion of the fused salt, the author has used a lamp designed to furnish an absolutely constant flame.[39] This device which is shown in [Fig. 34], is based on the principle of adding constantly a fresh portion of the salt to the flame. The flame is thus kept perfectly uniform in its intensity.
The lamp consists essentially of two wheels with platinum gauze perimeters and platinum wire spokes, driven by a clock-work D, and mounted by the supports AAʹ as shown in the [figure]. The sodium salt, chlorid or bromid, in dilute solution, is placed in the porcelain crucibles F, supported by BBʹ as indicated in the figure, to such a depth that the rims of the platinum wheels dip beneath the surface as they revolve. The salt is volatilized by the lamp E. By means of the crossed bands the wheels are made to revolve in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows. The solution of the salt which is taken up by the platinum net-work of the rim of the wheel, thus has time to become perfectly dry before it enters the flame and the sputtering which a moist salt would produce is avoided. At every instant, by this arrangement, a minute fresh portion of salt is introduced into the flame with the result of making a perfectly uniform light which can be used for hours without any perceptible variation. The mechanism of the apparatus is so simple that no further description is necessary. The polariscope should be so directed toward the flame as to bring into the field of vision its most luminous part. The platinum wheels are adjustable and should be so arranged as to produce between them an unbroken yellow flame. The wheels are eight centimeters in diameter and are driven at a rate to make one revolution in from six to ten minutes.
Figure 34. Lamp for Producing Constant
Monochromatic Flame.
71. Construction of Laurent’s Apparatus.—The shadow polariscope invented by Laurent is constructed as follows: The polarizer is a special nicol which is not fixed in its position, but is so arranged as to be turned through a small arc about its axis. By this device, the quantity of light passing through it can be regulated, and the apparatus is thus useful with colored solutions which are not easily cleared by any of the common bleaching agents. The greater the quantity of light admitted, however, the less delicate is the reading of the shadow produced. The plane of polarized light emergent from this prism, falls on a disk of glass half covered by a thin lamina of quartz which thus divides the field of vision into halves. It is this semi-disk of quartz which is the distinguishing feature of the apparatus.[40] The polarized light thus passes without hindrance the half field of vision which is covered by the glass only, but can not pass the quartz plate unless its axis is set in a certain way. The field of vision may be thus half dark, or both halves may be equally illuminated or equally dark according to the position of the nicol analyzer which is freely movable about its axis and carries a vernier and reading glass over a graduated circle. The field of vision in the laurent may have any of the following forms.[41] Let the polarizer be first so adjusted that the plane of polarization of the transmitted pencil of light is parallel to the axis of the plate lying in the direction A B. The two halves of the field of vision will then appear equally illuminated in every position of the analyzer. But if the polarizing nicol be inclined to AB at an angle a, the plane of polarization of the rays passing through the quartz plate will undergo deviation through an equal angle in the opposite direction.
Figure 35. Field of Vision of a Laurent Polariscope.
It happens from this, that when in the uncovered half of the field, the plane of polarization has the direction AC, in the other half it will have the direction ACʹ. When the analyzer is rotated, if its plane of polarization lie in the direction cc, the rays polarized parallel to AC will be completely extinguished and the corresponding half of the field will be dark. The opposite happens when the plane of polarization lies in the direction of cʹcʹ. When one-half of the field is thus obscured, the other suffers only a partial diminution in the intensity of its illumination. When the middle position bb is reached in the rotation of the analyzer, the illumination of the two halves is uniform, and this is the point at which the zero of the scale is reached. The slightest rotation of the analyzer to the right or left of this neutral point will cause a shadow to appear on one of the halves of the field, which by an oscillatory movement of the analyzer, seems to leap from side to side. The smaller the angle a or BAC, the more delicate will be the shading and the more accurate the observation. This angle being adjustable by the mechanism already described, should be made as small as will permit the admission of the quantity of light requisite for accurate observation.
The various pieces composing the polariscope are arranged in the following positions, beginning on the right of [Fig. 36], and passing to the left, where the observer is seated.[42]
1. The lamp VV, TT, AA, or the wheel burner:
2. The lens B for condensing the rays and rendering them parallel:
3. The tube I, blackened inside to carry the lens:
4. A thin lamina E, cut from a crystal of potassium bichromate, serving to render the sodium light more monochromatic: When the saccharine liquids under examination are colored the crystal of bichromate is removed before the observation is made.
5. The polarizer R, which is rotatable through a small angle by the lever K:
6. The lever JK for rotating the tube containing the polarizer: This is operated by the rod X extending to the left.
7. Diaphragm D, half covered with a lamina of quartz.
8. Trough L for holding the observation tube: In the large instrument shown in the [figure], it is more than half a meter in length and arranged to hold an observation tube 500 millimeters long.
9. Disk C, carrying divided circle and arbitrary sugar scale:
10. Mirror M, to throw the light of the lamp on the vernier of the scale:
Figure 36. Laurent Polariscope.
11. Reading glass N, carried on the same radius as the mirror and used to magnify and read the scale:
12. Device F, to regulate the zero of the instrument:
13. Tube H, carrying a nicol analyzer and ocular O for defining the field of vision: This tube is rotated by the radial arm G, carrying the mirror and reading glass.
72 Manipulation.—The lamp having been adjusted, the instrument, in a dark room, is so directed that the most luminous spot of the flame is in the line of vision. An observation tube filled with water is placed in the trough and the zero of the vernier is placed accurately on the zero of the scale. The even tint of the field of vision is then secured by adjusting the apparatus by the device number 12.
73 The Soleil-Ventzke Polariscope.—A form of polariscope giving a colored field of vision was in use in this country almost exclusively until within ten years, and is still largely employed. There are many forms of tint instruments, but the one almost exclusively used here is that mentioned. A full description of their construction and manipulation is given by Tucker.[43] By the introduction of a third rotating nicol in front of the lens next to the lamp, the sensitive tint at which the reading is made can be kept at a maximum delicacy. These instruments are capable of rendering very reliable service, especially in the hands of those who have a delicate perception of color. They are inferior, however, to the shadow instruments in delicacy, and are more trying to the eye of the observer. The shadow instruments therefore, especially those making use of an ordinary kerosene lamp, have practically driven the tint polariscopes out of use.
The general arrangement of a tint instrument as modified by Scheibler is shown in [Fig. 37].
Figure 37. Tint Polariscope.
Beginning on the right of the figures, its optical parts are as follows: A is a nicol which, with the quartz plate B, forms the apparatus for producing the light rose neutral tint. The proper degree of rotation of these two parts is secured by means of the button L attached to the rod carrying the ratchet wheel as shown. The polarizing nicol is at C, and D is a quartz disk, one-half of which is right-handed and the other left-handed. At G is another quartz plate belonging to the analyzing part of the apparatus. This, together with the fixed quartz wedge F, and the movable quartz wedge E, constitute the compensating apparatus of the instrument whereby the deviation produced in the plane of polarized light by the solution in the tube is restored.
Next to the compensating apparatus is the analyzing nicol which in this instrument is fixed in a certain place, viz., the zero of the scale. The analyzer and the telescope for observing the field of vision are carried in the tube HJ. The movable quartz wedge has a scale which is read with a telescope K, provided with a mirror inclined at an angle of 45°, just over the scale and serving to illuminate it. The quartz wedges are also provided with a movement by which the zero point of the scale can be adjusted. A kerosene lamp with two flat wicks is the best source of illumination and the instrument should be used in a dark room and the light of the lamp, save that which passes through the polariscope, be suppressed by a shade. The sensitive or transition tint is produced by that position of the regulating apparatus which gives a field of view of such a nature that a given small movement of the quartz compensating wedge gives the greatest contrast in color between the halves of the field of vision. For most eyes a faint rose-purple tint, as nearly colorless as possible, possesses this quality. A slight movement of the quartz wedge by means of the screw head M will, with this tint, produce on one side a faint green and on the other a pink color, which are in strong contrast. The neutral point is reached by so adjusting the quartz wedge as to give to both halves of the field the same faint rose-purple tint.
74. The Shadow Polariscope for Lamp Light.—This form of instrument is now in general use for saccharimetric purposes. It possesses on the one hand, the advantages of those instruments using monochromatic light, and on the other, the ease of manipulation possessed by the tint polariscopes. It differs from the tint instrument in dispensing with the nicol and quartz plate used to regulate the sensitive tint, and in having its polarizing nicol peculiarly constructed in harmony with the optical principles of the jellet-corny prism. The more improved forms of the apparatus have a double quartz wedge compensation. The two wedges are of opposite optical properties, and serve to make the observations more accurate by mutual correction. The optical arrangement of the different parts of such a polariscope is shown in the following [figure].
The lenses for concentrating the rays of light and rendering them parallel are contained in the tube N. At O is placed the modified polarizing nicol. The two compensating quartz wedges are moved by the milled screw-heads EG. The rest of the optical apparatus is arranged as described under the tint polariscope. For practical purposes, only one of the wedges is employed, but for all accurate work the readings should be made with both wedges and thus every possible source of error eliminated.
Figure 38. Double Compensating Shadow Polariscope.
75. The Triple Shadow Instrument.—When properly made, all the instruments which have been mentioned, are capable of giving accurate results if used in harmony with the directions given. In the use of polariscopes having colored fields of vision a delicate sense of distinguishing between related tints is necessary to good work. Color-blind observers could not successfully use such apparatus. In the shadow instruments it is only necessary to distinguish between the halves of a field of vision unequally illuminated and to reduce this inequality to zero. A neutral field is thus secured of one intensity of illumination and of only one color, usually yellow. Such a field of vision permits of the easy discrimination between the intensity of the coloration of its two halves, and is consequently not trying to the eye of the observer, and allows of great accuracy of discrimination. This field of vision has lately been still further improved by dividing it into three parts instead of two. An instrument of this kind, [Fig. 39], in use in this laboratory, permits a delicacy of reading not possessed by any other instrument used for sugar analysis, and approaching that of the standard Landolt-Lippich apparatus, used by us for research work and for determining the rotation of quartz plates and testing the accuracy of other polariscopes.
Figure 39. Triple Shadow Polariscope.
The triple shadow is secured by interposing in front of the polarizing nicol two small nicols as indicated in [Fig. 40]. The end views in different positions of the polarizer are shown in the lower part of the diagrams.
Figure 40. Apparatus for Producing a Triple Shadow.
Instead of the comparison of the intensity of the illumination being made on the halves of the field of vision it is made by comparing the segments of the halves with a central band, which also changes in intensity synchronously with the two segments, but in an opposite direction.