One of three orthogonal optic directions in biaxial crystals. Light with its electric vector (vibration direction in early terminology) parallel to the z-direction has the highest refractive index (n_gamma) for a given crystal and is called the slow ray. In orthorhombic crystals, the z-direction is constrained by symmetry to correspond to one of the crystallographic directions, the correspondence determined empirically. In monoclinic crystals, one optic direction, commonly the y-direction, is constrained by symmetry to correspond to the unique diad. In triclinic crystals, there is no symmetrical constraint relating optic directions to crystallographic axes.