Optical constants
Refractive index of 5CB (4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl)
Wu et al. 1993: n(e) 0.4–0.8 µm; 32.6 °C
- Data
- formula 6
- Range
- 0.4–0.8 µm
- Temperature
- 305.75 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
- 1.69278
- Extinction coefficient k
- 0
- Permittivity ε1
- 2.86551
- Permittivity ε2
- 0
- Absorption coefficient α
- 0 cm⁻¹
- Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
- — nm
- Abbe number Vd
- 17.609
- Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
- -0.187811 µm⁻¹
- Group index ng
- 1.80314
- Group velocity dispersion
- 463.86 fs²/mm
- Dispersion parameter D
- -2530.6 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): Wu et al. 1993: n(e) 0.4–0.8 µm; 32.6 °C
mat = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("other", "5CB", "Wu-32.6C-e", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(mat.range_nm) # (400, 800) 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_1e6ef90d2b63/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/wu-1993-32-6c-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=400, stop_nm=800, 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
Gases (formula 6), λ in µmValid from 0.4 to 0.8 µm.
Coefficients as stored
| Ci | Value |
|---|---|
| C1 | 0.4588 |
| C2 | 1.9206 |
| C3 | 22.6757 |
| C4 | 1.3248 |
| C5 | 12.5748 |
Comments and conditions
Conditions
- temperature
- 305.75 K
- direction
- e
References
- doi:10.1117/12.143988 Refractive index dispersions of liquid crystals, Optical Engineering (1993)
Cite
Shin-Tson Wu, ChiungSheng Wu, Marc Warenghem and M. Ismaili. Refractive index dispersions of liquid crystals. Optical Engineering, 32, 1775-1780 (1993), doi:10.1117/12.143988; 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 |
|---|---|
| 0.4 | 1.785188 |
| 0.400695 | 1.784318 |
| 0.401392 | 1.783457 |
| 0.40209 | 1.782604 |
| 0.402789 | 1.781759 |
| 0.40349 | 1.780921 |
| 0.404191 | 1.780092 |
| 0.404894 | 1.77927 |
| 0.405598 | 1.778456 |
| 0.406303 | 1.77765 |
| 0.40701 | 1.776851 |
| 0.407717 | 1.776059 |
| 0.408426 | 1.775274 |
| 0.409136 | 1.774497 |
| 0.409848 | 1.773726 |
| 0.41056 | 1.772962 |
| 0.411274 | 1.772206 |
| 0.411989 | 1.771456 |
| 0.412706 | 1.770712 |
| 0.413423 | 1.769976 |
| 0.414142 | 1.769245 |
| 0.414862 | 1.768521 |
| 0.415583 | 1.767804 |
| 0.416306 | 1.767092 |
| 0.41703 | 1.766387 |
| 0.417755 | 1.765688 |
| 0.418481 | 1.764995 |
| 0.419209 | 1.764308 |
| 0.419938 | 1.763626 |
| 0.420668 | 1.762951 |
| 0.421399 | 1.762281 |
| 0.422132 | 1.761617 |
| 0.422866 | 1.760958 |
| 0.423601 | 1.760305 |
| 0.424338 | 1.759657 |
| 0.425076 | 1.759015 |
| 0.425815 | 1.758378 |
| 0.426555 | 1.757746 |
| 0.427297 | 1.75712 |
| 0.42804 | 1.756498 |
| 0.428784 | 1.755882 |
| 0.429529 | 1.755271 |
| 0.430276 | 1.754664 |
| 0.431024 | 1.754063 |
| 0.431774 | 1.753466 |
| 0.432525 | 1.752874 |
| 0.433277 | 1.752287 |
| 0.43403 | 1.751705 |
| 0.434785 | 1.751127 |
| 0.435541 | 1.750553 |
| 0.436298 | 1.749985 |
| 0.437056 | 1.74942 |
| 0.437816 | 1.74886 |
| 0.438578 | 1.748305 |
| 0.43934 | 1.747753 |
| 0.440104 | 1.747206 |
| 0.440869 | 1.746664 |
| 0.441636 | 1.746125 |
| 0.442404 | 1.74559 |
| 0.443173 | 1.74506 |
| 0.443943 | 1.744534 |
| 0.444715 | 1.744011 |
| 0.445489 | 1.743493 |
| 0.446263 | 1.742978 |
| 0.447039 | 1.742468 |
| 0.447816 | 1.741961 |
| 0.448595 | 1.741458 |
| 0.449375 | 1.740958 |
| 0.450156 | 1.740463 |
| 0.450939 | 1.739971 |
| 0.451723 | 1.739482 |
| 0.452508 | 1.738998 |
| 0.453295 | 1.738516 |
| 0.454083 | 1.738039 |
| 0.454873 | 1.737565 |
| 0.455664 | 1.737094 |
| 0.456456 | 1.736626 |
| 0.45725 | 1.736163 |
| 0.458045 | 1.735702 |
| 0.458841 | 1.735245 |
| 0.459639 | 1.73479 |
| 0.460438 | 1.73434 |
| 0.461239 | 1.733892 |
| 0.462041 | 1.733448 |
| 0.462844 | 1.733006 |
| 0.463649 | 1.732568 |
| 0.464455 | 1.732133 |
| 0.465263 | 1.731701 |
| 0.466072 | 1.731272 |
| 0.466882 | 1.730846 |
| 0.467694 | 1.730423 |
| 0.468507 | 1.730003 |
| 0.469321 | 1.729585 |
| 0.470137 | 1.729171 |
| 0.470955 | 1.728759 |
| 0.471774 | 1.728351 |
| 0.472594 | 1.727945 |
| 0.473416 | 1.727542 |
| 0.474239 | 1.727141 |
| 0.475063 | 1.726744 |
| 0.475889 | 1.726349 |
| 0.476717 | 1.725956 |
| 0.477546 | 1.725566 |
| 0.478376 | 1.725179 |
| 0.479208 | 1.724795 |
| 0.480041 | 1.724413 |
| 0.480876 | 1.724034 |
| 0.481712 | 1.723657 |
| 0.482549 | 1.723282 |
| 0.483388 | 1.72291 |
| 0.484229 | 1.722541 |
| 0.485071 | 1.722174 |
| 0.485914 | 1.721809 |
| 0.486759 | 1.721447 |
| 0.487605 | 1.721087 |
| 0.488453 | 1.72073 |
| 0.489303 | 1.720375 |
| 0.490153 | 1.720022 |
| 0.491006 | 1.719671 |
| 0.491859 | 1.719323 |
| 0.492714 | 1.718977 |
| 0.493571 | 1.718633 |
| 0.494429 | 1.718291 |
| 0.495289 | 1.717951 |
| 0.49615 | 1.717614 |
| 0.497013 | 1.717279 |
| 0.497877 | 1.716946 |
| 0.498743 | 1.716615 |
| 0.49961 | 1.716286 |
| 0.500479 | 1.715959 |
| 0.501349 | 1.715634 |
| 0.50222 | 1.715311 |
| 0.503094 | 1.714991 |
| 0.503968 | 1.714672 |
| 0.504845 | 1.714355 |
| 0.505722 | 1.714041 |
| 0.506602 | 1.713728 |
| 0.507483 | 1.713417 |
| 0.508365 | 1.713108 |
| 0.509249 | 1.712801 |
| 0.510134 | 1.712496 |
| 0.511021 | 1.712192 |
| 0.51191 | 1.711891 |
| 0.5128 | 1.711591 |
| 0.513692 | 1.711293 |
| 0.514585 | 1.710997 |
| 0.515479 | 1.710703 |
| 0.516376 | 1.710411 |
| 0.517274 | 1.71012 |
| 0.518173 | 1.709831 |
| 0.519074 | 1.709544 |
| 0.519976 | 1.709258 |
| 0.52088 | 1.708975 |
| 0.521786 | 1.708693 |
| 0.522693 | 1.708412 |
| 0.523602 | 1.708133 |
| 0.524513 | 1.707856 |
| 0.525425 | 1.707581 |
| 0.526338 | 1.707307 |
| 0.527253 | 1.707035 |
| 0.52817 | 1.706764 |
| 0.529088 | 1.706495 |
| 0.530008 | 1.706228 |
| 0.53093 | 1.705962 |
| 0.531853 | 1.705698 |
| 0.532778 | 1.705435 |
| 0.533704 | 1.705174 |
| 0.534632 | 1.704914 |
| 0.535562 | 1.704656 |
| 0.536493 | 1.704399 |
| 0.537426 | 1.704144 |
| 0.53836 | 1.70389 |
| 0.539296 | 1.703638 |
| 0.540234 | 1.703387 |
| 0.541173 | 1.703138 |
| 0.542114 | 1.70289 |
| 0.543057 | 1.702643 |
| 0.544001 | 1.702398 |
| 0.544947 | 1.702154 |
| 0.545894 | 1.701912 |
| 0.546843 | 1.701671 |
| 0.547794 | 1.701431 |
| 0.548747 | 1.701193 |
| 0.549701 | 1.700956 |
| 0.550657 | 1.70072 |
| 0.551614 | 1.700486 |
| 0.552573 | 1.700253 |
| 0.553534 | 1.700021 |
| 0.554496 | 1.69979 |
| 0.55546 | 1.699561 |
| 0.556426 | 1.699333 |
| 0.557394 | 1.699107 |
| 0.558363 | 1.698881 |
| 0.559334 | 1.698657 |
| 0.560306 | 1.698434 |
| 0.56128 | 1.698213 |
| 0.562256 | 1.697992 |
| 0.563234 | 1.697773 |
| 0.564213 | 1.697555 |
| 0.565194 | 1.697338 |
| 0.566177 | 1.697123 |
| 0.567161 | 1.696908 |
| 0.568148 | 1.696695 |
| 0.569135 | 1.696483 |
| 0.570125 | 1.696272 |
| 0.571116 | 1.696062 |
| 0.572109 | 1.695853 |
| 0.573104 | 1.695646 |
| 0.5741 | 1.695439 |
| 0.575099 | 1.695234 |
| 0.576099 | 1.69503 |
| 0.5771 | 1.694826 |
| 0.578104 | 1.694624 |
| 0.579109 | 1.694423 |
| 0.580116 | 1.694224 |
| 0.581124 | 1.694025 |
| 0.582135 | 1.693827 |
| 0.583147 | 1.69363 |
| 0.584161 | 1.693434 |
| 0.585177 | 1.69324 |
| 0.586194 | 1.693046 |
| 0.587213 | 1.692854 |
| 0.588234 | 1.692662 |
| 0.589257 | 1.692471 |
| 0.590282 | 1.692282 |
| 0.591308 | 1.692093 |
| 0.592336 | 1.691906 |
| 0.593366 | 1.691719 |
| 0.594398 | 1.691533 |
| 0.595431 | 1.691349 |
| 0.596466 | 1.691165 |
| 0.597504 | 1.690982 |
| 0.598542 | 1.6908 |
| 0.599583 | 1.690619 |
| 0.600626 | 1.69044 |
| 0.60167 | 1.690261 |
| 0.602716 | 1.690082 |
| 0.603764 | 1.689905 |
| 0.604814 | 1.689729 |
| 0.605865 | 1.689554 |
| 0.606919 | 1.689379 |
| 0.607974 | 1.689206 |
| 0.609031 | 1.689033 |
| 0.61009 | 1.688861 |
| 0.611151 | 1.68869 |
| 0.612214 | 1.68852 |
| 0.613278 | 1.688351 |
| 0.614344 | 1.688183 |
| 0.615413 | 1.688015 |
| 0.616483 | 1.687849 |
| 0.617554 | 1.687683 |
| 0.618628 | 1.687518 |
| 0.619704 | 1.687354 |
| 0.620781 | 1.687191 |
| 0.621861 | 1.687028 |
| 0.622942 | 1.686867 |
| 0.624025 | 1.686706 |
| 0.62511 | 1.686546 |
| 0.626197 | 1.686386 |
| 0.627286 | 1.686228 |
| 0.628376 | 1.68607 |
| 0.629469 | 1.685914 |
| 0.630563 | 1.685757 |
| 0.63166 | 1.685602 |
| 0.632758 | 1.685448 |
| 0.633858 | 1.685294 |
| 0.63496 | 1.685141 |
| 0.636064 | 1.684989 |
| 0.63717 | 1.684837 |
| 0.638278 | 1.684686 |
| 0.639388 | 1.684536 |
| 0.6405 | 1.684387 |
| 0.641613 | 1.684239 |
| 0.642729 | 1.684091 |
| 0.643847 | 1.683944 |
| 0.644966 | 1.683797 |
| 0.646087 | 1.683652 |
| 0.647211 | 1.683507 |
| 0.648336 | 1.683363 |
| 0.649463 | 1.683219 |
| 0.650593 | 1.683076 |
| 0.651724 | 1.682934 |
| 0.652857 | 1.682793 |
| 0.653992 | 1.682652 |
| 0.655129 | 1.682512 |
| 0.656268 | 1.682372 |
| 0.657409 | 1.682234 |
| 0.658552 | 1.682096 |
| 0.659697 | 1.681958 |
| 0.660844 | 1.681821 |
| 0.661993 | 1.681685 |
| 0.663145 | 1.68155 |
| 0.664298 | 1.681415 |
| 0.665453 | 1.681281 |
| 0.66661 | 1.681148 |
| 0.667769 | 1.681015 |
| 0.66893 | 1.680883 |
| 0.670093 | 1.680751 |
| 0.671258 | 1.68062 |
| 0.672425 | 1.68049 |
| 0.673594 | 1.68036 |
| 0.674765 | 1.680231 |
| 0.675939 | 1.680102 |
| 0.677114 | 1.679974 |
| 0.678291 | 1.679847 |
| 0.679471 | 1.67972 |
| 0.680652 | 1.679594 |
| 0.681835 | 1.679469 |
| 0.683021 | 1.679344 |
| 0.684209 | 1.67922 |
| 0.685398 | 1.679096 |
| 0.68659 | 1.678973 |
| 0.687784 | 1.67885 |
| 0.68898 | 1.678728 |
| 0.690177 | 1.678607 |
| 0.691378 | 1.678486 |
| 0.69258 | 1.678366 |
| 0.693784 | 1.678246 |
| 0.69499 | 1.678127 |
| 0.696199 | 1.678008 |
| 0.697409 | 1.67789 |
| 0.698622 | 1.677772 |
| 0.699836 | 1.677655 |
| 0.701053 | 1.677539 |
| 0.702272 | 1.677423 |
| 0.703493 | 1.677308 |
| 0.704716 | 1.677193 |
| 0.705942 | 1.677079 |
| 0.707169 | 1.676965 |
| 0.708399 | 1.676852 |
| 0.70963 | 1.676739 |
| 0.710864 | 1.676627 |
| 0.7121 | 1.676515 |
| 0.713338 | 1.676404 |
| 0.714579 | 1.676293 |
| 0.715821 | 1.676183 |
| 0.717066 | 1.676073 |
| 0.718312 | 1.675964 |
| 0.719561 | 1.675855 |
| 0.720813 | 1.675747 |
| 0.722066 | 1.67564 |
| 0.723321 | 1.675532 |
| 0.724579 | 1.675426 |
| 0.725839 | 1.675319 |
| 0.727101 | 1.675214 |
| 0.728365 | 1.675108 |
| 0.729631 | 1.675004 |
| 0.7309 | 1.674899 |
| 0.732171 | 1.674795 |
| 0.733444 | 1.674692 |
| 0.734719 | 1.674589 |
| 0.735997 | 1.674487 |
| 0.737276 | 1.674385 |
| 0.738558 | 1.674283 |
| 0.739842 | 1.674182 |
| 0.741129 | 1.674082 |
| 0.742417 | 1.673981 |
| 0.743708 | 1.673882 |
| 0.745001 | 1.673782 |
| 0.746297 | 1.673684 |
| 0.747594 | 1.673585 |
| 0.748894 | 1.673487 |
| 0.750196 | 1.67339 |
| 0.751501 | 1.673293 |
| 0.752807 | 1.673196 |
| 0.754116 | 1.6731 |
| 0.755427 | 1.673004 |
| 0.756741 | 1.672909 |
| 0.758057 | 1.672814 |
| 0.759375 | 1.672719 |
| 0.760695 | 1.672625 |
| 0.762018 | 1.672531 |
| 0.763343 | 1.672438 |
| 0.76467 | 1.672345 |
| 0.765999 | 1.672253 |
| 0.767331 | 1.672161 |
| 0.768665 | 1.672069 |
| 0.770002 | 1.671978 |
| 0.771341 | 1.671887 |
| 0.772682 | 1.671797 |
| 0.774025 | 1.671707 |
| 0.775371 | 1.671617 |
| 0.776719 | 1.671528 |
| 0.77807 | 1.671439 |
| 0.779423 | 1.67135 |
| 0.780778 | 1.671262 |
| 0.782135 | 1.671175 |
| 0.783495 | 1.671087 |
| 0.784858 | 1.671 |
| 0.786222 | 1.670914 |
| 0.787589 | 1.670828 |
| 0.788959 | 1.670742 |
| 0.790331 | 1.670656 |
| 0.791705 | 1.670571 |
| 0.793081 | 1.670487 |
| 0.79446 | 1.670402 |
| 0.795842 | 1.670318 |
| 0.797225 | 1.670235 |
| 0.798611 | 1.670152 |
| 0.8 | 1.670069 |
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
- —
32.6 °C. Extraordinary ray (e).