Optical constants
Refractive index of 5CB (4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl)
Li et al. 2005: n(e) 0.450–0.656 µm
- Data
- formula 5
- Range
- 0.45–0.656 µm
- Temperature
- 298 K
- Optical axis
- e
- Licence
- CC0-1.0
Uniaxial crystal, axes: oe
Plot
Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.
At one wavelength
- Refractive index n
- 1.71439
- Extinction coefficient k
- 0
- Permittivity ε1
- 2.93914
- Permittivity ε2
- 0
- Absorption coefficient α
- 0 cm⁻¹
- Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
- — nm
- Abbe number Vd
- —
- Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
- -0.216894 µm⁻¹
- Group index ng
- 1.84184
- Group velocity dispersion
- 565.427 fs²/mm
- Dispersion parameter D
- -3084.7 ps/(nm·km)
- Photon energy
- 2.11001 eV
ε = (n + ik)², α = 4πk/λ, ng = n − λ dn/dλ, GVD = λ³/(2πc²) d²n/dλ², D = −(λ/c) d²n/dλ². Group-velocity dispersion is given for formula data only.
Use it in Lightsmith
Load this data in Python, simulate in one more line
pip install lightsmith
import lightsmith as ls
# 5CB (4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl): Li et al. 2005: n(e) 0.450–0.656 µm
mat = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("other", "5CB", "Li-e", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(mat.range_nm) # (450, 656) nm
eps = mat.eps([633]) # complex permittivity
Downloads the original record once (pinned to the imported snapshot) and caches it.
import json, urllib.request
import lightsmith as ls
url = "https://materials.lightsmith.dev/v1/datasets/ds_623bb82b8de5/lightsmith"
mat = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(mat.source) # citation and provenance travel with the data
Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (5cb/li-2005-e).
# ... load mat as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=mat)],
medium_index=1.0,
wavelengths=ls.WavelengthRange(start_nm=450, stop_nm=656, num=81),
)
res = ls.solve(sim) # exact Mie for a sphere
print(res.q_ext) # extinction efficiency at each wavelength
Same spec runs with DDA, FDTD, BEM or T-matrix: ls.compare(sim, ["mie", "dda"]).
Lightsmith is open source (MIT): Mie, T-matrix, BEM, DDA, FDTD, RCWA, TMM, mode solvers and inverse design behind one spec, on CPU or GPU. GitHub.
Dispersion formula
Cauchy (formula 5), λ in µmValid from 0.45 to 0.656 µm.
Coefficients as stored
| Ci | Value |
|---|---|
| C1 | 1.6708 |
| C2 | 0.0081 |
| C3 | -2.0 |
| C4 | 0.0024 |
| C5 | -4.0 |
Comments and conditions
Conditions
- temperature
- 298 K
- direction
- e
References
- doi:10.1109/jdt.2005.853357 Refractive Indices of Liquid Crystals for Display Applications, Journal of Display Technology (2005)
Cite
J. Li, C.-H. Wen, S. Gauza, R. Lu and S.-T. Wu. Refractive Indices of Liquid Crystals for Display Applications. Journal of Display Technology, 1, 51-61 (2005), doi:10.1109/jdt.2005.853357; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)
Data
Computed on 400 wavelengths, the same grid as the API and the library| λ (µm) | n |
|---|---|
| 0.45 | 1.769328 |
| 0.450425 | 1.769031 |
| 0.450851 | 1.768736 |
| 0.451277 | 1.768442 |
| 0.451704 | 1.768149 |
| 0.45213 | 1.767856 |
| 0.452558 | 1.767565 |
| 0.452985 | 1.767274 |
| 0.453414 | 1.766985 |
| 0.453842 | 1.766696 |
| 0.454271 | 1.766409 |
| 0.4547 | 1.766122 |
| 0.45513 | 1.765836 |
| 0.45556 | 1.765552 |
| 0.455991 | 1.765268 |
| 0.456422 | 1.764985 |
| 0.456853 | 1.764703 |
| 0.457285 | 1.764422 |
| 0.457717 | 1.764142 |
| 0.45815 | 1.763863 |
| 0.458583 | 1.763584 |
| 0.459016 | 1.763307 |
| 0.45945 | 1.763031 |
| 0.459884 | 1.762755 |
| 0.460319 | 1.76248 |
| 0.460754 | 1.762207 |
| 0.461189 | 1.761934 |
| 0.461625 | 1.761662 |
| 0.462061 | 1.761391 |
| 0.462498 | 1.761121 |
| 0.462935 | 1.760851 |
| 0.463373 | 1.760583 |
| 0.463811 | 1.760315 |
| 0.464249 | 1.760049 |
| 0.464688 | 1.759783 |
| 0.465127 | 1.759518 |
| 0.465566 | 1.759254 |
| 0.466006 | 1.758991 |
| 0.466447 | 1.758728 |
| 0.466888 | 1.758467 |
| 0.467329 | 1.758206 |
| 0.467771 | 1.757946 |
| 0.468213 | 1.757688 |
| 0.468655 | 1.757429 |
| 0.469098 | 1.757172 |
| 0.469541 | 1.756916 |
| 0.469985 | 1.75666 |
| 0.470429 | 1.756405 |
| 0.470874 | 1.756152 |
| 0.471319 | 1.755899 |
| 0.471764 | 1.755646 |
| 0.47221 | 1.755395 |
| 0.472657 | 1.755144 |
| 0.473103 | 1.754894 |
| 0.47355 | 1.754645 |
| 0.473998 | 1.754397 |
| 0.474446 | 1.75415 |
| 0.474894 | 1.753903 |
| 0.475343 | 1.753658 |
| 0.475792 | 1.753413 |
| 0.476242 | 1.753168 |
| 0.476692 | 1.752925 |
| 0.477143 | 1.752683 |
| 0.477594 | 1.752441 |
| 0.478045 | 1.7522 |
| 0.478497 | 1.75196 |
| 0.478949 | 1.75172 |
| 0.479402 | 1.751481 |
| 0.479855 | 1.751244 |
| 0.480308 | 1.751006 |
| 0.480762 | 1.75077 |
| 0.481217 | 1.750534 |
| 0.481671 | 1.7503 |
| 0.482127 | 1.750066 |
| 0.482582 | 1.749832 |
| 0.483038 | 1.7496 |
| 0.483495 | 1.749368 |
| 0.483952 | 1.749137 |
| 0.484409 | 1.748907 |
| 0.484867 | 1.748677 |
| 0.485325 | 1.748448 |
| 0.485784 | 1.74822 |
| 0.486243 | 1.747993 |
| 0.486703 | 1.747766 |
| 0.487162 | 1.747541 |
| 0.487623 | 1.747315 |
| 0.488084 | 1.747091 |
| 0.488545 | 1.746867 |
| 0.489007 | 1.746644 |
| 0.489469 | 1.746422 |
| 0.489932 | 1.746201 |
| 0.490395 | 1.74598 |
| 0.490858 | 1.74576 |
| 0.491322 | 1.74554 |
| 0.491786 | 1.745322 |
| 0.492251 | 1.745104 |
| 0.492716 | 1.744886 |
| 0.493182 | 1.74467 |
| 0.493648 | 1.744454 |
| 0.494115 | 1.744239 |
| 0.494582 | 1.744024 |
| 0.495049 | 1.743811 |
| 0.495517 | 1.743598 |
| 0.495985 | 1.743385 |
| 0.496454 | 1.743173 |
| 0.496923 | 1.742962 |
| 0.497393 | 1.742752 |
| 0.497863 | 1.742542 |
| 0.498333 | 1.742333 |
| 0.498804 | 1.742125 |
| 0.499276 | 1.741917 |
| 0.499748 | 1.74171 |
| 0.50022 | 1.741504 |
| 0.500693 | 1.741298 |
| 0.501166 | 1.741093 |
| 0.501639 | 1.740889 |
| 0.502114 | 1.740685 |
| 0.502588 | 1.740482 |
| 0.503063 | 1.74028 |
| 0.503539 | 1.740078 |
| 0.504014 | 1.739877 |
| 0.504491 | 1.739677 |
| 0.504968 | 1.739477 |
| 0.505445 | 1.739278 |
| 0.505923 | 1.739079 |
| 0.506401 | 1.738881 |
| 0.506879 | 1.738684 |
| 0.507358 | 1.738487 |
| 0.507838 | 1.738291 |
| 0.508318 | 1.738096 |
| 0.508798 | 1.737901 |
| 0.509279 | 1.737707 |
| 0.50976 | 1.737514 |
| 0.510242 | 1.737321 |
| 0.510724 | 1.737128 |
| 0.511207 | 1.736937 |
| 0.51169 | 1.736746 |
| 0.512174 | 1.736555 |
| 0.512658 | 1.736366 |
| 0.513142 | 1.736176 |
| 0.513627 | 1.735988 |
| 0.514113 | 1.7358 |
| 0.514599 | 1.735612 |
| 0.515085 | 1.735425 |
| 0.515572 | 1.735239 |
| 0.516059 | 1.735054 |
| 0.516547 | 1.734869 |
| 0.517035 | 1.734684 |
| 0.517524 | 1.7345 |
| 0.518013 | 1.734317 |
| 0.518502 | 1.734134 |
| 0.518992 | 1.733952 |
| 0.519483 | 1.733771 |
| 0.519974 | 1.73359 |
| 0.520465 | 1.733409 |
| 0.520957 | 1.73323 |
| 0.521449 | 1.73305 |
| 0.521942 | 1.732872 |
| 0.522435 | 1.732694 |
| 0.522929 | 1.732516 |
| 0.523423 | 1.732339 |
| 0.523918 | 1.732163 |
| 0.524413 | 1.731987 |
| 0.524909 | 1.731812 |
| 0.525405 | 1.731637 |
| 0.525902 | 1.731463 |
| 0.526399 | 1.731289 |
| 0.526896 | 1.731116 |
| 0.527394 | 1.730944 |
| 0.527892 | 1.730772 |
| 0.528391 | 1.7306 |
| 0.528891 | 1.730429 |
| 0.529391 | 1.730259 |
| 0.529891 | 1.730089 |
| 0.530392 | 1.72992 |
| 0.530893 | 1.729751 |
| 0.531395 | 1.729583 |
| 0.531897 | 1.729415 |
| 0.5324 | 1.729248 |
| 0.532903 | 1.729082 |
| 0.533406 | 1.728916 |
| 0.533911 | 1.72875 |
| 0.534415 | 1.728585 |
| 0.53492 | 1.728421 |
| 0.535426 | 1.728257 |
| 0.535932 | 1.728093 |
| 0.536438 | 1.72793 |
| 0.536945 | 1.727768 |
| 0.537453 | 1.727606 |
| 0.537961 | 1.727444 |
| 0.538469 | 1.727283 |
| 0.538978 | 1.727123 |
| 0.539487 | 1.726963 |
| 0.539997 | 1.726804 |
| 0.540508 | 1.726645 |
| 0.541018 | 1.726487 |
| 0.54153 | 1.726329 |
| 0.542042 | 1.726171 |
| 0.542554 | 1.726014 |
| 0.543067 | 1.725858 |
| 0.54358 | 1.725702 |
| 0.544094 | 1.725547 |
| 0.544608 | 1.725392 |
| 0.545122 | 1.725237 |
| 0.545638 | 1.725083 |
| 0.546153 | 1.72493 |
| 0.546669 | 1.724777 |
| 0.547186 | 1.724624 |
| 0.547703 | 1.724472 |
| 0.548221 | 1.724321 |
| 0.548739 | 1.72417 |
| 0.549258 | 1.724019 |
| 0.549777 | 1.723869 |
| 0.550296 | 1.723719 |
| 0.550816 | 1.72357 |
| 0.551337 | 1.723421 |
| 0.551858 | 1.723273 |
| 0.55238 | 1.723125 |
| 0.552902 | 1.722978 |
| 0.553424 | 1.722831 |
| 0.553947 | 1.722685 |
| 0.554471 | 1.722539 |
| 0.554995 | 1.722393 |
| 0.555519 | 1.722248 |
| 0.556044 | 1.722104 |
| 0.55657 | 1.72196 |
| 0.557096 | 1.721816 |
| 0.557622 | 1.721673 |
| 0.558149 | 1.72153 |
| 0.558677 | 1.721387 |
| 0.559205 | 1.721246 |
| 0.559733 | 1.721104 |
| 0.560262 | 1.720963 |
| 0.560792 | 1.720823 |
| 0.561322 | 1.720682 |
| 0.561852 | 1.720543 |
| 0.562383 | 1.720403 |
| 0.562915 | 1.720265 |
| 0.563447 | 1.720126 |
| 0.563979 | 1.719988 |
| 0.564512 | 1.719851 |
| 0.565046 | 1.719714 |
| 0.56558 | 1.719577 |
| 0.566114 | 1.719441 |
| 0.566649 | 1.719305 |
| 0.567185 | 1.719169 |
| 0.567721 | 1.719034 |
| 0.568258 | 1.7189 |
| 0.568795 | 1.718766 |
| 0.569332 | 1.718632 |
| 0.56987 | 1.718499 |
| 0.570409 | 1.718366 |
| 0.570948 | 1.718233 |
| 0.571488 | 1.718101 |
| 0.572028 | 1.71797 |
| 0.572568 | 1.717838 |
| 0.573109 | 1.717707 |
| 0.573651 | 1.717577 |
| 0.574193 | 1.717447 |
| 0.574736 | 1.717317 |
| 0.575279 | 1.717188 |
| 0.575823 | 1.717059 |
| 0.576367 | 1.716931 |
| 0.576912 | 1.716803 |
| 0.577457 | 1.716675 |
| 0.578003 | 1.716548 |
| 0.578549 | 1.716421 |
| 0.579096 | 1.716295 |
| 0.579643 | 1.716168 |
| 0.580191 | 1.716043 |
| 0.580739 | 1.715917 |
| 0.581288 | 1.715793 |
| 0.581837 | 1.715668 |
| 0.582387 | 1.715544 |
| 0.582938 | 1.71542 |
| 0.583489 | 1.715297 |
| 0.58404 | 1.715174 |
| 0.584592 | 1.715051 |
| 0.585144 | 1.714929 |
| 0.585697 | 1.714807 |
| 0.586251 | 1.714686 |
| 0.586805 | 1.714564 |
| 0.58736 | 1.714444 |
| 0.587915 | 1.714323 |
| 0.58847 | 1.714203 |
| 0.589027 | 1.714084 |
| 0.589583 | 1.713964 |
| 0.59014 | 1.713846 |
| 0.590698 | 1.713727 |
| 0.591256 | 1.713609 |
| 0.591815 | 1.713491 |
| 0.592375 | 1.713374 |
| 0.592934 | 1.713257 |
| 0.593495 | 1.71314 |
| 0.594056 | 1.713023 |
| 0.594617 | 1.712907 |
| 0.595179 | 1.712792 |
| 0.595742 | 1.712677 |
| 0.596305 | 1.712562 |
| 0.596868 | 1.712447 |
| 0.597432 | 1.712333 |
| 0.597997 | 1.712219 |
| 0.598562 | 1.712105 |
| 0.599128 | 1.711992 |
| 0.599694 | 1.711879 |
| 0.600261 | 1.711767 |
| 0.600828 | 1.711655 |
| 0.601396 | 1.711543 |
| 0.601964 | 1.711431 |
| 0.602533 | 1.71132 |
| 0.603103 | 1.711209 |
| 0.603673 | 1.711099 |
| 0.604243 | 1.710989 |
| 0.604814 | 1.710879 |
| 0.605386 | 1.71077 |
| 0.605958 | 1.710661 |
| 0.606531 | 1.710552 |
| 0.607104 | 1.710443 |
| 0.607678 | 1.710335 |
| 0.608252 | 1.710227 |
| 0.608827 | 1.71012 |
| 0.609402 | 1.710013 |
| 0.609978 | 1.709906 |
| 0.610555 | 1.7098 |
| 0.611132 | 1.709693 |
| 0.611709 | 1.709588 |
| 0.612287 | 1.709482 |
| 0.612866 | 1.709377 |
| 0.613445 | 1.709272 |
| 0.614025 | 1.709168 |
| 0.614605 | 1.709063 |
| 0.615186 | 1.708959 |
| 0.615768 | 1.708856 |
| 0.61635 | 1.708753 |
| 0.616932 | 1.70865 |
| 0.617515 | 1.708547 |
| 0.618099 | 1.708445 |
| 0.618683 | 1.708343 |
| 0.619268 | 1.708241 |
| 0.619853 | 1.708139 |
| 0.620439 | 1.708038 |
| 0.621025 | 1.707938 |
| 0.621612 | 1.707837 |
| 0.622199 | 1.707737 |
| 0.622787 | 1.707637 |
| 0.623376 | 1.707537 |
| 0.623965 | 1.707438 |
| 0.624555 | 1.707339 |
| 0.625145 | 1.70724 |
| 0.625736 | 1.707142 |
| 0.626327 | 1.707044 |
| 0.626919 | 1.706946 |
| 0.627512 | 1.706849 |
| 0.628105 | 1.706751 |
| 0.628698 | 1.706655 |
| 0.629293 | 1.706558 |
| 0.629887 | 1.706462 |
| 0.630483 | 1.706366 |
| 0.631079 | 1.70627 |
| 0.631675 | 1.706174 |
| 0.632272 | 1.706079 |
| 0.63287 | 1.705984 |
| 0.633468 | 1.70589 |
| 0.634066 | 1.705795 |
| 0.634666 | 1.705701 |
| 0.635265 | 1.705608 |
| 0.635866 | 1.705514 |
| 0.636467 | 1.705421 |
| 0.637068 | 1.705328 |
| 0.63767 | 1.705235 |
| 0.638273 | 1.705143 |
| 0.638876 | 1.705051 |
| 0.63948 | 1.704959 |
| 0.640084 | 1.704868 |
| 0.640689 | 1.704777 |
| 0.641295 | 1.704686 |
| 0.641901 | 1.704595 |
| 0.642508 | 1.704504 |
| 0.643115 | 1.704414 |
| 0.643723 | 1.704324 |
| 0.644331 | 1.704235 |
| 0.64494 | 1.704145 |
| 0.645549 | 1.704056 |
| 0.64616 | 1.703968 |
| 0.64677 | 1.703879 |
| 0.647381 | 1.703791 |
| 0.647993 | 1.703703 |
| 0.648606 | 1.703615 |
| 0.649219 | 1.703528 |
| 0.649832 | 1.70344 |
| 0.650446 | 1.703353 |
| 0.651061 | 1.703267 |
| 0.651677 | 1.70318 |
| 0.652292 | 1.703094 |
| 0.652909 | 1.703008 |
| 0.653526 | 1.702922 |
| 0.654144 | 1.702837 |
| 0.654762 | 1.702752 |
| 0.655381 | 1.702667 |
| 0.656 | 1.702582 |
Optical transmission calculator
Free-standing sample in vacuum, normal incidence- Transmittance T
- —
- Reflectance R
- —
Fresnel reflection calculator
- Rp
- —
- Rs
- —
- R = (Rp+Rs)/2
- —
- Phase φp
- —
- Phase φs
- —
- Brewster angle θB
- —
- Critical angle θC
- —
25 °C. Extraordinary ray (e).