DETECTION OF FERROELASTIC PHASE TRANSITION OF LiKSO₄ CRYSTAL BY DEPOLARIZATION OF TRANSMITTED LIGHT

A new method to detect multidomain phase transition by measuring the depolarization of transmitted light is reported. As an example, the ferroelastic phase transition in LiKSO₄ was investigated in more detail. It was found that the multidomain phase F₃ was ferroelastic. More accurate transition temperatures between phases F₂ and F₃ in cooling and heating cycle were determined to be -85°C and -79°C respectively.