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TIR and the Sparkle of Diamonds

Relatively speaking, the critical angle for the diamond-air boundary is an extremely small
number. Of all the possible combinations of materials that could interface to form a boundary,
the combination of diamond and air provides one of the largest differences in the index of
refraction values. This means that there will be a very small nr/ni ratio and subsequently a small
critical angle. This peculiarity about the diamond-air boundary plays an important role in the
brilliance of a diamond gemstone. Having a small critical angle, light has the tendency to
become "trapped" inside of a diamond once it enters. A light ray will typically undergo TIR
several times before finally refracting out of the diamond. Because the diamond-air boundary
has such a small critical angle (due to diamond's large index of refraction), most rays approach
the diamond at angles of incidence greater than the critical angle. This gives diamond a
tendency to sparkle. The effect can be enhanced by the cutting of a diamond gemstone with a
strategically planned shape. The diagram below depicts the total internal reflection within a
diamond gemstone with a strategic and a non-strategic cut.

I have always wondered why diamonds shine. Can anyone tell me why?
is one of the hardest material. We know that it's an allotrope of carbon. A diamond (crystalline in
nature) has a three dimensional arrangement of carbon atoms linked to each other by strong
covalent bonds. What you've shown a round brilliant cut diamond.
Actually, the secret that's rattling inside a diamond is refraction, total internal reflection (not to be
confused with ordinary reflection) & dispersion. The refractive index of diamond is pretty high
(2.417) and is also dispersive (coefficient is 0.044). Due to this fact, diamond is an important
application in optics.
Consider an ideal cut diamond. I explain according to the figure below. When the light is incident
at an angle 1, it refracts inside and travels through the lattice. At the surface which separates air
& diamond media, the incident angle 2 is very well above the critical angle (ca) and

simultaneously (3 & 4) the reflection takes place at different surfaces of the diamond. Finally, the
light refracts out.
The first one shows the mechanism of internal dispersive reflection. The second figure shows
the reflections inside ideal cut, deep and shallow cut diamonds.

Note: For total internal reflection to take place, light must travel from an optically denser
medium to a relatively rarer medium. Also, the incident angle should be far high above thee
critical angle.

Diamonds

From glass to air the critical angle is about 42o but it varies from one medium to another. The
material that gives the smallest critical angle is diamond. That is why they sparkle so much!
Rays of light can easily be made to 'bounce around inside them' by careful cutting of the stone
and the refraction at the surfaces splits the light into a spectrum of colours!

Relatively speaking, the critical


angle 24.4o for the diamond-air
boundary is extremely small.
This property of the diamond-air
boundary plays an important role
in the brilliance of a diamond
gemstone. Having a small
critical angle, light has the
tendency to become "trapped"
inside of a diamond once it enters. Most rays approach the diamond at angles of incidence
greater than the critical angle (as it is so small) so a light ray will typically undergo TIR several
times before finally refracting out of the diamond. This gives diamond a tendency to sparkle.
The effect can be enhanced by the cutting of a diamond gemstone with a 'strategically' planned
shape. The diagram to the left depicts the total internal reflection within a diamond gemstone
with a 'strategic' and a 'non-strategic' cut.

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