Quarter-wave plate — UPSC Physics Optional CSE 1996 Paper I

What is a quarter wave plate? Explain its use in the production and detection of circularly polarized light. For calcite for \lambda = 5472 \text{\AA}, \mu_O = 1.658 and \mu_E = 1.486. If the minimum thickness of a plate that can be cut from calcite is 30 \mu\text{ m}, what should be the minimum thickness for preparing a quarter wave plate?