On the theory of optical birefringence in ferrofluids

A. Yu. Zubarev - L. Yu. Iskakova

Department of Mathematical Physics Ural State University, 51 Lenin Av., 620083 Ekaterinburg, Russia

Abstract
We consider the influence of homogeneous long range correlations between magnetic particles on the effects of optical birefringence in ferrofluids. Analysis shows that in the typical modern ferrofluids the optical effects produced by the homogeneous correlations can exceed the effects of the elongated primary agglomerates, which appear at the stage of ferrofluid preparation due to the colloidal interaction between the particles, as well as the effects of the linear heterogeneous chains consisting of the biggest particles of the system. Figs 2, Refs 16.