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List of refractive indices
List article

Many materials have a well-characterized refractive index, but these indices often depend strongly upon the frequency of light, causing optical dispersion. Standard refractive index measurements are taken at the "yellow doublet" sodium D line, with a wavelength (λ) of 589 nanometers.

There are also weaker dependencies on temperature, pressure/stress, etc., as well on precise material compositions (presence of dopants, etc.); for many materials and typical conditions, however, these variations are at the percent level or less. Thus, it's especially important to cite the source for an index measurement if precision is required.

In general, an index of refraction is a complex number with both a real and imaginary part, where the latter indicates the strength of absorption loss at a particular wavelength—thus, the imaginary part is sometimes called the extinction coefficient k {\displaystyle k} . Such losses become particularly significant, for example, in metals at short (e.g. visible) wavelengths, and must be included in any description of the refractive index.

List

Some representative refractive indices
Name of materialλ (nm)Refractive index no. nReference
Vacuum1 (by definition)
Air at STP1.000273
Gases at 0 °C and 1 atm
Air589.291.0002931
Carbon dioxide589.291.00045234
Helium589.291.0000365
Hydrogen589.291.0001326
Liquids at 20 °C
Arsenic trisulfide and sulfur in methylene iodide1.97
Carbon disulfide589.291.6288
Benzene589.291.5019
Carbon tetrachloride589.291.46110
Silicone oil (nD25)589.291.393–1.40311
Kerosene1.44
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol)589.291.36112
Acetone1.36
Water589.291.33313
10% glucose solution in water589.291.347714
20% glucose solution in water589.291.363515
60% glucose solution in water589.291.439416
Solids at room temperature
Silicon carbide (moissanite; 6H form)589.292.6517
Titanium dioxide (rutile phase)589.292.6141819
Diamond589.292.41720
Strontium titanate589.292.4121
Tantalum pentoxide589.292.1522
Amber589.291.5523
Sodium chloride589.291.54424
Fused silica (a pure form of glass, also called fused quartz)589.291.4582526
Other materials
Liquid helium1.025
Perfluorohexane (Fluorinert FC-72)1.25127
Water ice1.31
TFE/PDD (Teflon AF)1.3152829
Cryolite1.338
Cytop1.3430
Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)1.35–1.3831
Sugar solution, 25%1.372332
Cornea (human)1.373/1.380/1.40133
Lens (human)1.386–1.406
Liver (human)9641.36934
Intestinal mucosa (human)9641.329–1.33835
Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE)1.40336
Sylgard 184 (polydimethylsiloxane)1.411837
Sugar solution, 50%1.420038
Polylactic acid1.4639
Pyrex (a borosilicate glass)1.47040
Vegetable oil1.4741
Glycerol1.4729
Sugar solution, 75%1.477442
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)1.4893–1.4899
Halite (rock salt)1.516
Plate glass (window glass)1.52

43

Crown glass (pure)1.50–1.54
PETg1.57
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)1.5750
Polycarbonate1501.6044
Crown glass (impure)1.485–1.755
Flint glass (pure)1.60–1.62
Bromine1.661
Flint glass (impure)1.523–1.925
Sapphire1.762–1.778
Boron nitride2–2.1445
Cubic zirconia2.15–2.1846
Potassium niobate (KNbO3)2.28
Zinc oxide3902.4
Cinnabar (mercury sulfide)3.02Birefringent: nω = 2.905 nε = 3.25647
Silicon1200 - 85003.42–3.4848
Gallium(III) phosphide3.5
Gallium(III) arsenide3.927
Germanium3000 - 160004.05–4.149

See also

References

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