Structure of Brazil twin boundaries in amethyst showing brewster fringes

Optical investigations of Brewster fringes in natural amethyst crystals have indicated that the fringes are Brazil twin boundaries consisting of McLaren and Pitkethly type zig-zag structures and closed parallelograms. The two types of Brazil twin boundaries appear alternately in the successive fringes and in different orientations in one fringe. The Brewster fringes develop by a process of incorporation of many Brazil twin lamellae, when growth conditions are stabilized after this process. If perturbation occurs in growth conditions, distinct growth banding with and without Brazil twin lamellae will develop, and not Brewster fringes.