Optical constants
Refractive index of 5CB (4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl)
Tkachenko et al. 2006: n(e) 0.532–1.7 µm
- Data
- formula 5
- Range
- 0.532–1.7 µm
- 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
- 1.70743
- Extinction coefficient k
- 0
- Permittivity ε1
- 2.91531
- Permittivity ε2
- 0
- Absorption coefficient α
- 0 cm⁻¹
- Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
- — nm
- Abbe number Vd
- —
- Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
- -0.220941 µm⁻¹
- Group index ng
- 1.83725
- Group velocity dispersion
- 512.1 fs²/mm
- Dispersion parameter D
- -2793.78 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): Tkachenko et al. 2006: n(e) 0.532–1.7 µm
mat = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("other", "5CB", "Tkachenko-e", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(mat.range_nm) # (532, 1700) 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_9cfee20a910d/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/tkachenko-2006-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=532, stop_nm=1000, 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 0.532 to 1.7 µm.
Coefficients as stored
| Ci | Value |
|---|---|
| C1 | 1.65535 |
| C2 | 0.01355 |
| C3 | -2.0 |
| C4 | 0.00153 |
| C5 | -4.0 |
Comments and conditions
Conditions
- direction
- e
References
- doi:10.1080/15421400600655816 Nematic Liquid Crystal Optical Dispersion in the Visible-Near Infrared Range, Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals (2006)
Cite
Volodymyr Tkachenko et al.. Nematic Liquid Crystal Optical Dispersion in the Visible-Near Infrared Range. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 454, 263/[665]-271/[673] (2006), doi:10.1080/15421400600655816; 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 |
|---|---|
| 0.532 | 1.722326 |
| 0.533551 | 1.721827 |
| 0.535107 | 1.721332 |
| 0.536667 | 1.720841 |
| 0.538232 | 1.720355 |
| 0.539802 | 1.719872 |
| 0.541376 | 1.719393 |
| 0.542954 | 1.718919 |
| 0.544537 | 1.718448 |
| 0.546125 | 1.717981 |
| 0.547718 | 1.717518 |
| 0.549315 | 1.717059 |
| 0.550916 | 1.716604 |
| 0.552523 | 1.716152 |
| 0.554134 | 1.715704 |
| 0.55575 | 1.71526 |
| 0.55737 | 1.71482 |
| 0.558995 | 1.714383 |
| 0.560625 | 1.71395 |
| 0.56226 | 1.71352 |
| 0.5639 | 1.713094 |
| 0.565544 | 1.712671 |
| 0.567193 | 1.712252 |
| 0.568847 | 1.711836 |
| 0.570505 | 1.711424 |
| 0.572169 | 1.711015 |
| 0.573837 | 1.71061 |
| 0.575511 | 1.710207 |
| 0.577189 | 1.709808 |
| 0.578872 | 1.709412 |
| 0.58056 | 1.70902 |
| 0.582252 | 1.70863 |
| 0.58395 | 1.708244 |
| 0.585653 | 1.707861 |
| 0.587361 | 1.707481 |
| 0.589073 | 1.707104 |
| 0.590791 | 1.70673 |
| 0.592514 | 1.70636 |
| 0.594241 | 1.705992 |
| 0.595974 | 1.705627 |
| 0.597712 | 1.705265 |
| 0.599455 | 1.704906 |
| 0.601203 | 1.70455 |
| 0.602956 | 1.704197 |
| 0.604714 | 1.703846 |
| 0.606477 | 1.703498 |
| 0.608245 | 1.703154 |
| 0.610019 | 1.702812 |
| 0.611798 | 1.702472 |
| 0.613582 | 1.702136 |
| 0.615371 | 1.701802 |
| 0.617165 | 1.70147 |
| 0.618965 | 1.701142 |
| 0.620769 | 1.700816 |
| 0.62258 | 1.700492 |
| 0.624395 | 1.700171 |
| 0.626216 | 1.699853 |
| 0.628042 | 1.699537 |
| 0.629873 | 1.699224 |
| 0.631709 | 1.698913 |
| 0.633551 | 1.698604 |
| 0.635399 | 1.698298 |
| 0.637252 | 1.697995 |
| 0.63911 | 1.697694 |
| 0.640973 | 1.697395 |
| 0.642842 | 1.697098 |
| 0.644717 | 1.696804 |
| 0.646597 | 1.696513 |
| 0.648482 | 1.696223 |
| 0.650373 | 1.695936 |
| 0.652269 | 1.695651 |
| 0.654171 | 1.695368 |
| 0.656079 | 1.695087 |
| 0.657992 | 1.694809 |
| 0.65991 | 1.694533 |
| 0.661835 | 1.694259 |
| 0.663764 | 1.693987 |
| 0.6657 | 1.693717 |
| 0.667641 | 1.693449 |
| 0.669588 | 1.693183 |
| 0.67154 | 1.69292 |
| 0.673498 | 1.692658 |
| 0.675462 | 1.692399 |
| 0.677432 | 1.692141 |
| 0.679407 | 1.691886 |
| 0.681388 | 1.691632 |
| 0.683375 | 1.69138 |
| 0.685368 | 1.691131 |
| 0.687366 | 1.690883 |
| 0.68937 | 1.690637 |
| 0.69138 | 1.690393 |
| 0.693396 | 1.690151 |
| 0.695418 | 1.689911 |
| 0.697446 | 1.689672 |
| 0.69948 | 1.689436 |
| 0.701519 | 1.689201 |
| 0.703565 | 1.688968 |
| 0.705616 | 1.688736 |
| 0.707674 | 1.688507 |
| 0.709737 | 1.688279 |
| 0.711807 | 1.688053 |
| 0.713882 | 1.687829 |
| 0.715964 | 1.687606 |
| 0.718052 | 1.687385 |
| 0.720145 | 1.687166 |
| 0.722245 | 1.686949 |
| 0.724351 | 1.686733 |
| 0.726463 | 1.686518 |
| 0.728581 | 1.686306 |
| 0.730706 | 1.686095 |
| 0.732837 | 1.685885 |
| 0.734973 | 1.685677 |
| 0.737117 | 1.685471 |
| 0.739266 | 1.685266 |
| 0.741421 | 1.685063 |
| 0.743583 | 1.684861 |
| 0.745752 | 1.684661 |
| 0.747926 | 1.684462 |
| 0.750107 | 1.684265 |
| 0.752294 | 1.684069 |
| 0.754488 | 1.683875 |
| 0.756688 | 1.683682 |
| 0.758894 | 1.68349 |
| 0.761107 | 1.6833 |
| 0.763326 | 1.683112 |
| 0.765552 | 1.682925 |
| 0.767784 | 1.682739 |
| 0.770023 | 1.682554 |
| 0.772268 | 1.682371 |
| 0.77452 | 1.682189 |
| 0.776779 | 1.682009 |
| 0.779044 | 1.68183 |
| 0.781315 | 1.681652 |
| 0.783593 | 1.681476 |
| 0.785878 | 1.681301 |
| 0.78817 | 1.681127 |
| 0.790468 | 1.680954 |
| 0.792773 | 1.680783 |
| 0.795084 | 1.680613 |
| 0.797403 | 1.680444 |
| 0.799728 | 1.680277 |
| 0.80206 | 1.68011 |
| 0.804399 | 1.679945 |
| 0.806744 | 1.679781 |
| 0.809096 | 1.679619 |
| 0.811456 | 1.679457 |
| 0.813822 | 1.679297 |
| 0.816195 | 1.679138 |
| 0.818575 | 1.67898 |
| 0.820962 | 1.678823 |
| 0.823355 | 1.678667 |
| 0.825756 | 1.678512 |
| 0.828164 | 1.678359 |
| 0.830579 | 1.678207 |
| 0.833001 | 1.678055 |
| 0.83543 | 1.677905 |
| 0.837866 | 1.677756 |
| 0.840309 | 1.677608 |
| 0.842759 | 1.677461 |
| 0.845216 | 1.677315 |
| 0.847681 | 1.67717 |
| 0.850153 | 1.677026 |
| 0.852631 | 1.676884 |
| 0.855118 | 1.676742 |
| 0.857611 | 1.676601 |
| 0.860112 | 1.676462 |
| 0.86262 | 1.676323 |
| 0.865135 | 1.676185 |
| 0.867658 | 1.676048 |
| 0.870188 | 1.675913 |
| 0.872725 | 1.675778 |
| 0.87527 | 1.675644 |
| 0.877822 | 1.675511 |
| 0.880382 | 1.675379 |
| 0.882949 | 1.675248 |
| 0.885523 | 1.675118 |
| 0.888105 | 1.674989 |
| 0.890695 | 1.674861 |
| 0.893292 | 1.674733 |
| 0.895897 | 1.674607 |
| 0.898509 | 1.674481 |
| 0.901129 | 1.674357 |
| 0.903757 | 1.674233 |
| 0.906392 | 1.67411 |
| 0.909035 | 1.673988 |
| 0.911685 | 1.673867 |
| 0.914344 | 1.673747 |
| 0.91701 | 1.673627 |
| 0.919684 | 1.673509 |
| 0.922365 | 1.673391 |
| 0.925055 | 1.673274 |
| 0.927752 | 1.673158 |
| 0.930457 | 1.673042 |
| 0.93317 | 1.672928 |
| 0.935891 | 1.672814 |
| 0.93862 | 1.672701 |
| 0.941357 | 1.672589 |
| 0.944102 | 1.672478 |
| 0.946855 | 1.672367 |
| 0.949616 | 1.672257 |
| 0.952385 | 1.672148 |
| 0.955162 | 1.67204 |
| 0.957947 | 1.671933 |
| 0.96074 | 1.671826 |
| 0.963542 | 1.67172 |
| 0.966351 | 1.671615 |
| 0.969169 | 1.67151 |
| 0.971995 | 1.671406 |
| 0.974829 | 1.671303 |
| 0.977672 | 1.671201 |
| 0.980523 | 1.671099 |
| 0.983382 | 1.670998 |
| 0.986249 | 1.670898 |
| 0.989125 | 1.670798 |
| 0.992009 | 1.670699 |
| 0.994902 | 1.670601 |
| 0.997803 | 1.670503 |
| 1.00071 | 1.670406 |
| 1.00363 | 1.67031 |
| 1.00656 | 1.670215 |
| 1.00949 | 1.67012 |
| 1.01243 | 1.670025 |
| 1.01539 | 1.669932 |
| 1.01835 | 1.669839 |
| 1.02132 | 1.669746 |
| 1.0243 | 1.669655 |
| 1.02728 | 1.669564 |
| 1.03028 | 1.669473 |
| 1.03328 | 1.669383 |
| 1.03629 | 1.669294 |
| 1.03932 | 1.669206 |
| 1.04235 | 1.669118 |
| 1.04539 | 1.66903 |
| 1.04843 | 1.668943 |
| 1.05149 | 1.668857 |
| 1.05456 | 1.668771 |
| 1.05763 | 1.668686 |
| 1.06072 | 1.668602 |
| 1.06381 | 1.668518 |
| 1.06691 | 1.668435 |
| 1.07002 | 1.668352 |
| 1.07314 | 1.66827 |
| 1.07627 | 1.668188 |
| 1.07941 | 1.668107 |
| 1.08256 | 1.668026 |
| 1.08571 | 1.667946 |
| 1.08888 | 1.667867 |
| 1.09205 | 1.667788 |
| 1.09524 | 1.667709 |
| 1.09843 | 1.667631 |
| 1.10164 | 1.667554 |
| 1.10485 | 1.667477 |
| 1.10807 | 1.667401 |
| 1.1113 | 1.667325 |
| 1.11454 | 1.66725 |
| 1.11779 | 1.667175 |
| 1.12105 | 1.6671 |
| 1.12432 | 1.667027 |
| 1.1276 | 1.666953 |
| 1.13088 | 1.66688 |
| 1.13418 | 1.666808 |
| 1.13749 | 1.666736 |
| 1.14081 | 1.666665 |
| 1.14413 | 1.666594 |
| 1.14747 | 1.666524 |
| 1.15081 | 1.666454 |
| 1.15417 | 1.666384 |
| 1.15754 | 1.666315 |
| 1.16091 | 1.666246 |
| 1.1643 | 1.666178 |
| 1.16769 | 1.666111 |
| 1.1711 | 1.666043 |
| 1.17451 | 1.665977 |
| 1.17794 | 1.66591 |
| 1.18137 | 1.665844 |
| 1.18481 | 1.665779 |
| 1.18827 | 1.665714 |
| 1.19173 | 1.665649 |
| 1.19521 | 1.665585 |
| 1.19869 | 1.665521 |
| 1.20219 | 1.665458 |
| 1.20569 | 1.665395 |
| 1.20921 | 1.665333 |
| 1.21274 | 1.66527 |
| 1.21627 | 1.665209 |
| 1.21982 | 1.665147 |
| 1.22338 | 1.665087 |
| 1.22694 | 1.665026 |
| 1.23052 | 1.664966 |
| 1.23411 | 1.664906 |
| 1.23771 | 1.664847 |
| 1.24132 | 1.664788 |
| 1.24494 | 1.66473 |
| 1.24857 | 1.664672 |
| 1.25221 | 1.664614 |
| 1.25586 | 1.664556 |
| 1.25952 | 1.664499 |
| 1.26319 | 1.664443 |
| 1.26688 | 1.664386 |
| 1.27057 | 1.664331 |
| 1.27427 | 1.664275 |
| 1.27799 | 1.66422 |
| 1.28172 | 1.664165 |
| 1.28545 | 1.664111 |
| 1.2892 | 1.664056 |
| 1.29296 | 1.664003 |
| 1.29673 | 1.663949 |
| 1.30051 | 1.663896 |
| 1.3043 | 1.663844 |
| 1.30811 | 1.663791 |
| 1.31192 | 1.663739 |
| 1.31575 | 1.663687 |
| 1.31958 | 1.663636 |
| 1.32343 | 1.663585 |
| 1.32729 | 1.663534 |
| 1.33116 | 1.663484 |
| 1.33504 | 1.663434 |
| 1.33894 | 1.663384 |
| 1.34284 | 1.663335 |
| 1.34675 | 1.663286 |
| 1.35068 | 1.663237 |
| 1.35462 | 1.663189 |
| 1.35857 | 1.66314 |
| 1.36253 | 1.663093 |
| 1.3665 | 1.663045 |
| 1.37049 | 1.662998 |
| 1.37449 | 1.662951 |
| 1.37849 | 1.662904 |
| 1.38251 | 1.662858 |
| 1.38654 | 1.662812 |
| 1.39059 | 1.662766 |
| 1.39464 | 1.662721 |
| 1.39871 | 1.662676 |
| 1.40279 | 1.662631 |
| 1.40688 | 1.662586 |
| 1.41098 | 1.662542 |
| 1.41509 | 1.662498 |
| 1.41922 | 1.662454 |
| 1.42336 | 1.662411 |
| 1.42751 | 1.662368 |
| 1.43167 | 1.662325 |
| 1.43585 | 1.662282 |
| 1.44003 | 1.66224 |
| 1.44423 | 1.662198 |
| 1.44844 | 1.662156 |
| 1.45267 | 1.662115 |
| 1.4569 | 1.662073 |
| 1.46115 | 1.662032 |
| 1.46541 | 1.661992 |
| 1.46968 | 1.661951 |
| 1.47397 | 1.661911 |
| 1.47827 | 1.661871 |
| 1.48258 | 1.661831 |
| 1.4869 | 1.661792 |
| 1.49124 | 1.661753 |
| 1.49558 | 1.661714 |
| 1.49994 | 1.661675 |
| 1.50432 | 1.661636 |
| 1.5087 | 1.661598 |
| 1.5131 | 1.66156 |
| 1.51752 | 1.661523 |
| 1.52194 | 1.661485 |
| 1.52638 | 1.661448 |
| 1.53083 | 1.661411 |
| 1.53529 | 1.661374 |
| 1.53977 | 1.661337 |
| 1.54426 | 1.661301 |
| 1.54876 | 1.661265 |
| 1.55328 | 1.661229 |
| 1.55781 | 1.661193 |
| 1.56235 | 1.661158 |
| 1.56691 | 1.661123 |
| 1.57147 | 1.661088 |
| 1.57606 | 1.661053 |
| 1.58065 | 1.661018 |
| 1.58526 | 1.660984 |
| 1.58988 | 1.66095 |
| 1.59452 | 1.660916 |
| 1.59917 | 1.660882 |
| 1.60383 | 1.660849 |
| 1.60851 | 1.660816 |
| 1.6132 | 1.660783 |
| 1.6179 | 1.66075 |
| 1.62262 | 1.660717 |
| 1.62735 | 1.660685 |
| 1.6321 | 1.660652 |
| 1.63686 | 1.66062 |
| 1.64163 | 1.660589 |
| 1.64642 | 1.660557 |
| 1.65122 | 1.660526 |
| 1.65603 | 1.660494 |
| 1.66086 | 1.660463 |
| 1.6657 | 1.660432 |
| 1.67056 | 1.660402 |
| 1.67543 | 1.660371 |
| 1.68032 | 1.660341 |
| 1.68522 | 1.660311 |
| 1.69013 | 1.660281 |
| 1.69506 | 1.660251 |
| 1.7 | 1.660222 |
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
- —
Extraordinary ray (e).