Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein are the two scientists most people think of when it comes to physics.

But the pioneering work of a Scottish physicist has contributed just as much to the discipline - and even attracted praise from Einstein himself.

James Clerk Maxwell was a scientist in the 19th century and is best known for his formulation of electromagnetic theory.

In 1931, on the 100th anniversary of Maxwell’s birth, Einstein described his work as “the most profound and the most fruitful that physics has experienced since the time of Newton”.

The physicist, from Edinburgh, is still regarded by modern scientists as being one of the biggest influencers in the field, with his findings still forming the basis for some modern-day research.

Most recently, his work has helped researchers uncover a new type of light which could be used to improve blood screening or develop new fibre optic circuits.

The research, carried out by scientists and engineers from the University of Edinburgh and Pennsylvania State University, used crystals to produce a distinctive from of light wave.

Using equations first developed by Maxwell, the researchers analysed how light - which travels in the form of waves - interacts with certain naturally occurring or man-made crystals.

They found that the waves, recently named Dyakonov-Voigt waves, are produced at a specific region - known as an interface - where the crystals meet another material, such as oil or water.

These waves can be produced only using certain types of crystal whose optical properties depend on the direction in which light passes through them, researchers say.

The team found that the waves, named after two leading scientists, diminish as they move away from the interface - a process called decay - and travel only in a single direction. Other types of so-called surface waves decay more quickly and travel in multiple directions.

Dr Tom Mackay, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Mathematics, who jointly led the study, said: “Dyakonov-Voigt waves represent a step forward in our understanding of how light interacts with complex materials, and offer opportunities for a range of technological advancements.”

The team identified the waves’ unique properties using mathematical models that incorporated equations developed by Maxwell.

Since the mid-1800s, research on how light interacts with crystals has built on the work of the physicist, who helped to lay the foundations for fields such as special relativity and quantum mechanics.

Born in 1831, Maxwell was the son of an Edinburgh advocate.

When Maxwell was a child, the family moved to Dumfriesshire when they inherited Middlebie Estate.

One early tutor is said to have claimed that he was slow at learning, however he went on to study at the Edinburgh Academy, with his first scientific paper being published at the age of 14.

He then went on to the University of Edinburgh and later Cambridge, where he was presented with the prestigious Smith’s Prize.

In 1954, Maxwell was elected to a fellowship at Trinity College, but he chose to return to Scotland sue to his Father’s ill-health.

He later developed his theory of electromagnetism, which showed that light was electromagnetic radiation. The theory is considered to have paved the way for both quantum mechanics and Einstein’s theory of special relativity.

Maxwell died in 1879 after developing abdominal cancer, the disease which had killed his mother 40 years earlier.

The Dyakonov-Voigt study, published in the Royal Society’s physical sciences research journal, was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the US National Science Foundation.