Optical constants
Refractive index of Al (Aluminium)
McPeak et al. 2015: n,k 0.15–1.7 µm
- Data
- tabulated nk
- Range
- 0.15–1.7 µm
- Points
- 297
- Licence
- CC0-1.0
- Lightsmith
- bundled, default
Plot
Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.
At one wavelength
- Refractive index n
- 0.939045
- Extinction coefficient k
- 6.24255
- Permittivity ε1
- -38.0876
- Permittivity ε2
- 11.7241
- Absorption coefficient α
- 1.33503e+06 cm⁻¹
- Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
- 14.981 nm
- Abbe number Vd
- —
- Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
- 4.1294 µm⁻¹
- Group index ng
- -1.48739
- Group velocity dispersion
- — fs²/mm
- Dispersion parameter D
- — 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
# Al (Aluminium): McPeak et al. 2015: n,k 0.15–1.7 µm
al = ls.LibraryMaterial(name="Al", dataset="McPeak")
print(al.range_nm) # (150, 1700) nm
eps = al.eps([633]) # complex permittivity
Ships with the library: works offline and is the library's own default dataset choice.
import lightsmith as ls
# Al (Aluminium): McPeak et al. 2015: n,k 0.15–1.7 µm
al = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "Al", "McPeak", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(al.range_nm) # (150, 1700) nm
eps = al.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_d4a519d0ea25/lightsmith"
al = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(al.source) # citation and provenance travel with the data
Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (al/mcpeak-2015).
# ... load al as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=al)],
medium_index=1.0,
wavelengths=ls.WavelengthRange(start_nm=400, 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.
Comments and conditions
References
- doi:10.1021/ph5004237 Plasmonic Films Can Easily Be Better: Rules and Recipes, ACS Photonics (2015)
Cite
Kevin M. McPeak et al.. Plasmonic Films Can Easily Be Better: Rules and Recipes. ACS Photonics, 2, 326-333 (2015), doi:10.1021/ph5004237; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)
Data
297 rows as published| λ (µm) | n | k |
|---|---|---|
| 0.15 | 0.095390828 | 1.283666394 |
| 0.155 | 0.095510386 | 1.337393822 |
| 0.16 | 0.09903925 | 1.402928641 |
| 0.165 | 0.098692838 | 1.46616516 |
| 0.17 | 0.100850207 | 1.532569987 |
| 0.175 | 0.1069563 | 1.596539899 |
| 0.18 | 0.099715746 | 1.657661977 |
| 0.185 | 0.108316112 | 1.734368006 |
| 0.19 | 0.106567769 | 1.79116071 |
| 0.195 | 0.111513266 | 1.853411775 |
| 0.2 | 0.110803374 | 1.908606137 |
| 0.205 | 0.111587326 | 1.969936987 |
| 0.21 | 0.11365555 | 2.028057589 |
| 0.215 | 0.115928445 | 2.091850713 |
| 0.22 | 0.116173424 | 2.151998203 |
| 0.225 | 0.119771906 | 2.213039835 |
| 0.23 | 0.124315543 | 2.274896559 |
| 0.235 | 0.129276519 | 2.336773934 |
| 0.24 | 0.133002743 | 2.395514502 |
| 0.245 | 0.139688588 | 2.457358928 |
| 0.25 | 0.141162655 | 2.515219055 |
| 0.255 | 0.148765766 | 2.573777623 |
| 0.26 | 0.150722638 | 2.633214255 |
| 0.265 | 0.161465056 | 2.693431077 |
| 0.27 | 0.164610587 | 2.750035753 |
| 0.275 | 0.172365826 | 2.81099804 |
| 0.28 | 0.178635303 | 2.868973784 |
| 0.285 | 0.18587018 | 2.923276881 |
| 0.29 | 0.188953314 | 2.98248275 |
| 0.295 | 0.197315218 | 3.042340102 |
| 0.3 | 0.204991638 | 3.100858199 |
| 0.305 | 0.210097266 | 3.157347124 |
| 0.31 | 0.218816718 | 3.214790935 |
| 0.315 | 0.224454799 | 3.267473023 |
| 0.32 | 0.237666454 | 3.323775766 |
| 0.325 | 0.24464928 | 3.37932734 |
| 0.33 | 0.251892832 | 3.436779015 |
| 0.335 | 0.259391824 | 3.493749292 |
| 0.34 | 0.267481852 | 3.550147397 |
| 0.345 | 0.275201252 | 3.607178361 |
| 0.35 | 0.28349792 | 3.663518946 |
| 0.355 | 0.291774119 | 3.719829584 |
| 0.36 | 0.300125667 | 3.776251503 |
| 0.365 | 0.308578012 | 3.831608068 |
| 0.37 | 0.317597538 | 3.889198914 |
| 0.375 | 0.32692637 | 3.945995546 |
| 0.38 | 0.335956002 | 4.002607455 |
| 0.385 | 0.345714203 | 4.058265431 |
| 0.39 | 0.354901676 | 4.114238107 |
| 0.395 | 0.364968364 | 4.169676475 |
| 0.4 | 0.375150842 | 4.226433266 |
| 0.405 | 0.385211589 | 4.281283449 |
| 0.41 | 0.396086448 | 4.336805792 |
| 0.415 | 0.40706511 | 4.391435073 |
| 0.42 | 0.417647849 | 4.447407079 |
| 0.425 | 0.429543735 | 4.503499508 |
| 0.43 | 0.440996226 | 4.559109307 |
| 0.435 | 0.452837879 | 4.613682059 |
| 0.44 | 0.464232752 | 4.669101846 |
| 0.445 | 0.477070026 | 4.724044433 |
| 0.45 | 0.489220122 | 4.778319404 |
| 0.455 | 0.501228231 | 4.832828338 |
| 0.46 | 0.514817248 | 4.887948117 |
| 0.465 | 0.528042125 | 4.943260916 |
| 0.47 | 0.53987657 | 4.997345967 |
| 0.475 | 0.554932886 | 5.051331558 |
| 0.48 | 0.568005038 | 5.105940631 |
| 0.485 | 0.582771419 | 5.159226931 |
| 0.49 | 0.596705366 | 5.212874187 |
| 0.495 | 0.610784373 | 5.265933683 |
| 0.5 | 0.625686295 | 5.320477736 |
| 0.505 | 0.640306464 | 5.374848125 |
| 0.51 | 0.655709839 | 5.428163169 |
| 0.515 | 0.672565753 | 5.481545831 |
| 0.52 | 0.688336416 | 5.535955836 |
| 0.525 | 0.704045108 | 5.58799423 |
| 0.53 | 0.720793584 | 5.641767754 |
| 0.535 | 0.737603948 | 5.693773756 |
| 0.54 | 0.75446839 | 5.746496546 |
| 0.545 | 0.772330366 | 5.799008035 |
| 0.55 | 0.789405353 | 5.851936501 |
| 0.555 | 0.808351698 | 5.905288517 |
| 0.56 | 0.829205097 | 5.958236408 |
| 0.565 | 0.848630853 | 6.009090973 |
| 0.57 | 0.867376853 | 6.060226283 |
| 0.575 | 0.887661988 | 6.112687118 |
| 0.58 | 0.908569739 | 6.165184423 |
| 0.585 | 0.928308533 | 6.215605902 |
| 0.59 | 0.948955518 | 6.267417058 |
| 0.595 | 0.9714896 | 6.317103137 |
| 0.6 | 0.992465612 | 6.368986418 |
| 0.605 | 1.016073317 | 6.417351867 |
| 0.61 | 1.038145667 | 6.46681888 |
| 0.615 | 1.062059906 | 6.517052343 |
| 0.62 | 1.088160063 | 6.566589093 |
| 0.625 | 1.112663572 | 6.61475776 |
| 0.63 | 1.136328574 | 6.66312559 |
| 0.635 | 1.165731637 | 6.710806975 |
| 0.64 | 1.190265203 | 6.759417967 |
| 0.645 | 1.218505245 | 6.807110623 |
| 0.65 | 1.246364405 | 6.852329839 |
| 0.655 | 1.275302761 | 6.898361917 |
| 0.66 | 1.304382818 | 6.942363757 |
| 0.665 | 1.333854457 | 6.987643931 |
| 0.67 | 1.365410391 | 7.031951759 |
| 0.675 | 1.395892303 | 7.071104251 |
| 0.68 | 1.426024482 | 7.116287362 |
| 0.685 | 1.457391234 | 7.157652493 |
| 0.69 | 1.493230683 | 7.197481356 |
| 0.695 | 1.5274935 | 7.23603734 |
| 0.7 | 1.559751729 | 7.27391404 |
| 0.705 | 1.596346402 | 7.311383032 |
| 0.71 | 1.631621525 | 7.34575992 |
| 0.715 | 1.669698976 | 7.380372258 |
| 0.72 | 1.706780893 | 7.414249862 |
| 0.725 | 1.745260386 | 7.446739811 |
| 0.73 | 1.786398844 | 7.475374294 |
| 0.735 | 1.827772224 | 7.502849546 |
| 0.74 | 1.872189153 | 7.528352557 |
| 0.745 | 1.916802427 | 7.55216072 |
| 0.75 | 1.958355454 | 7.571403838 |
| 0.755 | 2.005349601 | 7.585211073 |
| 0.76 | 2.054224115 | 7.599462923 |
| 0.765 | 2.09984451 | 7.605086914 |
| 0.77 | 2.144528834 | 7.61216158 |
| 0.775 | 2.189915668 | 7.610567038 |
| 0.78 | 2.231500036 | 7.603853787 |
| 0.785 | 2.275479945 | 7.589387919 |
| 0.79 | 2.314643646 | 7.572223927 |
| 0.795 | 2.350258044 | 7.547894599 |
| 0.8 | 2.373653298 | 7.522581337 |
| 0.805 | 2.399438967 | 7.486541749 |
| 0.81 | 2.409296598 | 7.449477169 |
| 0.815 | 2.414395973 | 7.410756231 |
| 0.82 | 2.410049326 | 7.369351244 |
| 0.825 | 2.399462094 | 7.325600203 |
| 0.83 | 2.375277499 | 7.288411569 |
| 0.835 | 2.342102357 | 7.253098886 |
| 0.84 | 2.301774531 | 7.225729444 |
| 0.845 | 2.257656113 | 7.204374444 |
| 0.85 | 2.204898553 | 7.188085811 |
| 0.855 | 2.148111401 | 7.177700369 |
| 0.86 | 2.092718783 | 7.181328004 |
| 0.865 | 2.03127715 | 7.184642431 |
| 0.87 | 1.973568962 | 7.198887028 |
| 0.875 | 1.915492386 | 7.218248477 |
| 0.88 | 1.854996083 | 7.243411521 |
| 0.885 | 1.802564727 | 7.274079983 |
| 0.89 | 1.750120449 | 7.309782595 |
| 0.895 | 1.694671727 | 7.350096072 |
| 0.9 | 1.64715608 | 7.393045594 |
| 0.905 | 1.602399525 | 7.439468008 |
| 0.91 | 1.557188172 | 7.48978204 |
| 0.915 | 1.516837858 | 7.542665118 |
| 0.92 | 1.483545494 | 7.592621895 |
| 0.925 | 1.447230511 | 7.647710517 |
| 0.93 | 1.415213787 | 7.70342976 |
| 0.935 | 1.385433286 | 7.756057335 |
| 0.94 | 1.355589911 | 7.812465936 |
| 0.945 | 1.325884954 | 7.872100794 |
| 0.95 | 1.302164463 | 7.928721983 |
| 0.955 | 1.280288795 | 7.985307721 |
| 0.96 | 1.25976713 | 8.04593147 |
| 0.965 | 1.23821822 | 8.1051949 |
| 0.97 | 1.218188621 | 8.163760378 |
| 0.975 | 1.201067407 | 8.22268587 |
| 0.98 | 1.182294465 | 8.279240316 |
| 0.985 | 1.167631515 | 8.338247019 |
| 0.99 | 1.153696234 | 8.399524689 |
| 0.995 | 1.140905235 | 8.457757667 |
| 1.0 | 1.126639087 | 8.511598888 |
| 1.005 | 1.114680776 | 8.571960874 |
| 1.01 | 1.102964941 | 8.629920722 |
| 1.015 | 1.09358083 | 8.687515124 |
| 1.02 | 1.08727974 | 8.74843856 |
| 1.025 | 1.081445553 | 8.809967337 |
| 1.03 | 1.071397488 | 8.867857271 |
| 1.035 | 1.061537336 | 8.920081923 |
| 1.04 | 1.055494597 | 8.978255334 |
| 1.045 | 1.051806876 | 9.036830069 |
| 1.05 | 1.043454926 | 9.083765639 |
| 1.055 | 1.036482441 | 9.148731926 |
| 1.06 | 1.033133204 | 9.204040646 |
| 1.065 | 1.02747793 | 9.264432573 |
| 1.07 | 1.025591906 | 9.318521275 |
| 1.075 | 1.024418445 | 9.373122913 |
| 1.08 | 1.020244607 | 9.42862127 |
| 1.085 | 1.015304156 | 9.479917855 |
| 1.09 | 1.014378517 | 9.5368739 |
| 1.095 | 1.011890304 | 9.593431189 |
| 1.1 | 1.009905005 | 9.649917519 |
| 1.105 | 1.008451539 | 9.704482186 |
| 1.11 | 1.005344855 | 9.750882949 |
| 1.115 | 1.00382405 | 9.806001363 |
| 1.12 | 1.004294808 | 9.860152537 |
| 1.125 | 1.003882164 | 9.917498646 |
| 1.13 | 1.003972742 | 9.968398129 |
| 1.135 | 1.00500573 | 10.02382345 |
| 1.14 | 1.002828586 | 10.07500199 |
| 1.145 | 1.003941179 | 10.12708734 |
| 1.15 | 1.005317282 | 10.18335224 |
| 1.155 | 1.003754384 | 10.23706613 |
| 1.16 | 1.008818757 | 10.28628773 |
| 1.165 | 1.007932489 | 10.34146643 |
| 1.17 | 1.008357257 | 10.39215013 |
| 1.175 | 1.012688334 | 10.44200832 |
| 1.18 | 1.015213183 | 10.49336256 |
| 1.185 | 1.014759181 | 10.5517646 |
| 1.19 | 1.017683803 | 10.60545522 |
| 1.195 | 1.01813905 | 10.65817091 |
| 1.2 | 1.021736807 | 10.70579031 |
| 1.205 | 1.022859293 | 10.75807795 |
| 1.21 | 1.024257787 | 10.80782605 |
| 1.215 | 1.026450838 | 10.85926339 |
| 1.22 | 1.029738722 | 10.9110202 |
| 1.225 | 1.035047848 | 10.96181208 |
| 1.23 | 1.038667581 | 11.01266681 |
| 1.235 | 1.039978895 | 11.06849385 |
| 1.24 | 1.043389606 | 11.11569439 |
| 1.245 | 1.046657092 | 11.16984741 |
| 1.25 | 1.049913391 | 11.21616325 |
| 1.255 | 1.051297547 | 11.26655345 |
| 1.26 | 1.056495057 | 11.31619114 |
| 1.265 | 1.057188404 | 11.36079431 |
| 1.27 | 1.061492702 | 11.41081797 |
| 1.275 | 1.066383574 | 11.47288865 |
| 1.28 | 1.070500901 | 11.51937378 |
| 1.285 | 1.073080696 | 11.56250415 |
| 1.29 | 1.078091053 | 11.61775711 |
| 1.295 | 1.081263285 | 11.66829595 |
| 1.3 | 1.08667656 | 11.71967858 |
| 1.305 | 1.090905752 | 11.7737027 |
| 1.31 | 1.094227716 | 11.82020872 |
| 1.315 | 1.097106966 | 11.86438552 |
| 1.32 | 1.104427092 | 11.91930196 |
| 1.325 | 1.108138114 | 11.96737106 |
| 1.33 | 1.109282178 | 12.01542787 |
| 1.335 | 1.112492808 | 12.06389822 |
| 1.34 | 1.123987022 | 12.1162431 |
| 1.345 | 1.129233973 | 12.16532652 |
| 1.35 | 1.132981867 | 12.21775953 |
| 1.355 | 1.135566133 | 12.26700903 |
| 1.43 | 1.20897633 | 12.99198306 |
| 1.435 | 1.215774284 | 13.0402495 |
| 1.44 | 1.222359347 | 13.08984959 |
| 1.445 | 1.225637477 | 13.13438949 |
| 1.45 | 1.232348412 | 13.19350911 |
| 1.455 | 1.235053048 | 13.23424936 |
| 1.46 | 1.23989324 | 13.2825952 |
| 1.465 | 1.245674136 | 13.32973008 |
| 1.47 | 1.25590184 | 13.37524914 |
| 1.475 | 1.252421713 | 13.42119816 |
| 1.48 | 1.265153644 | 13.46516297 |
| 1.485 | 1.264792932 | 13.51960433 |
| 1.49 | 1.275023692 | 13.56523813 |
| 1.495 | 1.277693673 | 13.61515704 |
| 1.5 | 1.285699173 | 13.66027168 |
| 1.505 | 1.290149697 | 13.70964938 |
| 1.51 | 1.296809948 | 13.75760575 |
| 1.515 | 1.304059962 | 13.81378197 |
| 1.52 | 1.313924676 | 13.8577198 |
| 1.525 | 1.31627889 | 13.90548777 |
| 1.53 | 1.325289614 | 13.94978109 |
| 1.535 | 1.332565366 | 13.9955611 |
| 1.54 | 1.338103685 | 14.0463704 |
| 1.545 | 1.342317392 | 14.08906725 |
| 1.55 | 1.347399401 | 14.13278052 |
| 1.555 | 1.354287918 | 14.18605286 |
| 1.56 | 1.36162657 | 14.2300396 |
| 1.565 | 1.367953829 | 14.27204602 |
| 1.57 | 1.374881699 | 14.33214219 |
| 1.575 | 1.374949427 | 14.37325593 |
| 1.58 | 1.385662006 | 14.41873986 |
| 1.585 | 1.390425967 | 14.47146449 |
| 1.59 | 1.400170689 | 14.51965833 |
| 1.595 | 1.39786136 | 14.56653756 |
| 1.6 | 1.400984694 | 14.60865354 |
| 1.605 | 1.402928097 | 14.65292487 |
| 1.61 | 1.421414675 | 14.70647543 |
| 1.615 | 1.424742484 | 14.75635087 |
| 1.62 | 1.436002763 | 14.82100212 |
| 1.625 | 1.439358574 | 14.84862799 |
| 1.63 | 1.44609075 | 14.8956765 |
| 1.635 | 1.447904247 | 14.94712102 |
| 1.64 | 1.45643876 | 14.99170484 |
| 1.645 | 1.458873135 | 15.02392461 |
| 1.65 | 1.469917493 | 15.08179888 |
| 1.655 | 1.478177828 | 15.1223348 |
| 1.66 | 1.474977808 | 15.17582154 |
| 1.665 | 1.477843053 | 15.23233469 |
| 1.67 | 1.462292742 | 15.2773787 |
| 1.675 | 1.425778483 | 15.34740513 |
| 1.68 | 1.427335087 | 15.38951869 |
| 1.685 | 1.454908413 | 15.4724516 |
| 1.69 | 1.514176047 | 15.49621661 |
| 1.695 | 1.555668449 | 15.53351552 |
| 1.7 | 1.584018511 | 15.55632073 |
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
- —
Thermally evaporated Al at 150 Å/s, template stripped from Si wafer