Piezo-Rotatory Coefficients and Crystal Symmetry

A first-order phenomenological theory of the effect of stress on the optical rotatory power of crystals has been worked out. This paper reports the forms of the matrices of the piezo-rotation tensor in different crystal classes. Two very interesting results have emerged. The first is that the piezo-rotation tensor is an axial tensor of fourth rank. The second is that stress should induce optical activity in certain non-optically active crystals.