Anisotropy
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Anisotropy is the structural property of non-uniformity in different directions, as opposed to isotropy. An anisotropic object or pattern has properties that differ according to direction of measurement. For example, many materials exhibit very different physical or mechanical properties when measured along different axes, e.g. absorbance, refractive index, conductivity, and tensile strength.
A plasma globe displaying the nature of plasmas, in this case, the phenomenon of "filamentation"
Refractive index
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In optics, the refractive index of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium.
Thomas Young coined the term index of refraction in 1807.
Diamonds have a very high refractive index of 2.417.
A split-ring resonator array arranged to produce a negative index of refraction for microwaves
In optical mineralogy, thin sections are used to study rocks. The method is based on the distinct refractive indices of different minerals.