Circular dichroism (CD) refers to the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light. This phenomenon was discovered by Jean-Baptiste Biot, Augustin Fresnel, and Aimé Cotton in the first half of the 19th century. It is exhibited in the absorption bands of optically active chiral molecules. CD spectroscopy has a wide range of...
(CD) optically active materials absorb left and right circularly polarized light to different extents.
<chemistry> Differential absorption of right hand and left hand circularly polarized light resulting from molecular asymmetry involving a chromophore group. Circular dichroism is used to study the conformation of proteins in solution. ... (18 Nov 1997) ... 
Valuable technique for finding balance of secondary structures in a protein molecule and for measuring conformational responses to changing conditions
(CD) Type: Term Definitions: 1. the change from circular polarization to elliptical polarization of monochromatic, circularly polarized light in the immediate vicinity of the absorption band of the substance through which the light passes.
selective absorption of one of the two possible circular polarizations of light.