Optical constants
Refractive index of Ar (Argon)
Cuthbertson and Cuthbertson 1910: n 0.480–0.671 µm
- Data
- formula 6
- Range
- 0.48–0.6708 µm
- Temperature
- 273.15 K
- State
- gas
- Licence
- CC0-1.0
Plot
Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.
At one wavelength
- Refractive index n
- 1.00028
- Extinction coefficient k
- 0
- Permittivity ε1
- 1.00056
- Permittivity ε2
- 0
- Absorption coefficient α
- 0 cm⁻¹
- Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
- — nm
- Abbe number Vd
- 97.186
- Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
- -1.48961e-05 µm⁻¹
- Group index ng
- 1.00029
- Group velocity dispersion
- 0.0278897 fs²/mm
- Dispersion parameter D
- -0.152153 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
# Ar (Argon): Cuthbertson and Cuthbertson 1910: n 0.480–0.671 µm
ar = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "Ar", "Cuthbertson", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(ar.range_nm) # (480, 670.8) nm
eps = ar.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_51ad6c9f1027/lightsmith"
ar = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(ar.source) # citation and provenance travel with the data
Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (ar/cuthbertson-cuthbertson-1910).
# ... load ar as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=ar)],
medium_index=1.0,
wavelengths=ls.WavelengthRange(start_nm=480, stop_nm=670, 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 0.48 to 0.6708 µm.
Coefficients as stored
| Ci | Value |
|---|---|
| C1 | 0.0 |
| C2 | 0.052476137 |
| C3 | 189.24954 |
Comments and conditions
Conditions
- temperature
- 273.15 K
- pressure
- 101325
References
2) C. Cuthbertson and M. Cuthbertson. On the refraction and dispersion of neon. Proc. R. Soc. London A 83, 149-151 (1910)
* Ref. 1 doesn't cite gas temperature and pressure. See the earlier publication by the same authors (ref. 2) instead.
- doi:10.1098/rspa.1910.0052 The refraction and dispersion of argon, and redeterminations of the dispersion of helium, neon, krypton, and xenon, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character (1910)
- doi:10.1098/rspa.1910.0001 On the refraction and dispersion of neon, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character (1910)
Cite
Clive Cuthbertson and Maude Cuthbertson. The refraction and dispersion of argon, and redeterminations of the dispersion of helium, neon, krypton, and xenon. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character, 84, 13-15 (1910), doi:10.1098/rspa.1910.0052; Clive Cuthbertson and Maude Cuthbertson. On the refraction and dispersion of neon. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character, 83, 149-151 (1910), doi:10.1098/rspa.1910.0001; 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 |
|---|---|
| 0.48 | 1.000284 |
| 0.480403 | 1.000284 |
| 0.480806 | 1.000284 |
| 0.481209 | 1.000284 |
| 0.481613 | 1.000284 |
| 0.482017 | 1.000284 |
| 0.482422 | 1.000284 |
| 0.482827 | 1.000284 |
| 0.483232 | 1.000284 |
| 0.483637 | 1.000284 |
| 0.484043 | 1.000284 |
| 0.484449 | 1.000284 |
| 0.484856 | 1.000284 |
| 0.485263 | 1.000284 |
| 0.48567 | 1.000284 |
| 0.486078 | 1.000284 |
| 0.486485 | 1.000284 |
| 0.486894 | 1.000284 |
| 0.487302 | 1.000284 |
| 0.487711 | 1.000284 |
| 0.48812 | 1.000284 |
| 0.48853 | 1.000284 |
| 0.48894 | 1.000284 |
| 0.48935 | 1.000284 |
| 0.489761 | 1.000284 |
| 0.490172 | 1.000284 |
| 0.490583 | 1.000284 |
| 0.490995 | 1.000283 |
| 0.491407 | 1.000283 |
| 0.491819 | 1.000283 |
| 0.492232 | 1.000283 |
| 0.492645 | 1.000283 |
| 0.493059 | 1.000283 |
| 0.493472 | 1.000283 |
| 0.493886 | 1.000283 |
| 0.494301 | 1.000283 |
| 0.494716 | 1.000283 |
| 0.495131 | 1.000283 |
| 0.495546 | 1.000283 |
| 0.495962 | 1.000283 |
| 0.496378 | 1.000283 |
| 0.496795 | 1.000283 |
| 0.497212 | 1.000283 |
| 0.497629 | 1.000283 |
| 0.498047 | 1.000283 |
| 0.498465 | 1.000283 |
| 0.498883 | 1.000283 |
| 0.499302 | 1.000283 |
| 0.499721 | 1.000283 |
| 0.50014 | 1.000283 |
| 0.50056 | 1.000283 |
| 0.50098 | 1.000283 |
| 0.5014 | 1.000283 |
| 0.501821 | 1.000283 |
| 0.502242 | 1.000283 |
| 0.502663 | 1.000283 |
| 0.503085 | 1.000283 |
| 0.503507 | 1.000283 |
| 0.50393 | 1.000283 |
| 0.504353 | 1.000283 |
| 0.504776 | 1.000283 |
| 0.5052 | 1.000283 |
| 0.505623 | 1.000283 |
| 0.506048 | 1.000283 |
| 0.506472 | 1.000283 |
| 0.506897 | 1.000283 |
| 0.507323 | 1.000283 |
| 0.507749 | 1.000283 |
| 0.508175 | 1.000283 |
| 0.508601 | 1.000283 |
| 0.509028 | 1.000283 |
| 0.509455 | 1.000283 |
| 0.509883 | 1.000283 |
| 0.51031 | 1.000283 |
| 0.510739 | 1.000283 |
| 0.511167 | 1.000283 |
| 0.511596 | 1.000283 |
| 0.512025 | 1.000283 |
| 0.512455 | 1.000283 |
| 0.512885 | 1.000283 |
| 0.513316 | 1.000283 |
| 0.513746 | 1.000283 |
| 0.514177 | 1.000283 |
| 0.514609 | 1.000283 |
| 0.515041 | 1.000283 |
| 0.515473 | 1.000283 |
| 0.515906 | 1.000283 |
| 0.516338 | 1.000283 |
| 0.516772 | 1.000283 |
| 0.517205 | 1.000283 |
| 0.517639 | 1.000283 |
| 0.518074 | 1.000283 |
| 0.518509 | 1.000283 |
| 0.518944 | 1.000283 |
| 0.519379 | 1.000283 |
| 0.519815 | 1.000283 |
| 0.520251 | 1.000283 |
| 0.520688 | 1.000283 |
| 0.521125 | 1.000283 |
| 0.521562 | 1.000283 |
| 0.522 | 1.000283 |
| 0.522438 | 1.000283 |
| 0.522876 | 1.000283 |
| 0.523315 | 1.000283 |
| 0.523754 | 1.000283 |
| 0.524194 | 1.000283 |
| 0.524633 | 1.000283 |
| 0.525074 | 1.000283 |
| 0.525514 | 1.000283 |
| 0.525955 | 1.000283 |
| 0.526397 | 1.000283 |
| 0.526838 | 1.000283 |
| 0.527281 | 1.000283 |
| 0.527723 | 1.000283 |
| 0.528166 | 1.000283 |
| 0.528609 | 1.000283 |
| 0.529053 | 1.000283 |
| 0.529497 | 1.000283 |
| 0.529941 | 1.000283 |
| 0.530386 | 1.000283 |
| 0.530831 | 1.000283 |
| 0.531276 | 1.000283 |
| 0.531722 | 1.000283 |
| 0.532168 | 1.000283 |
| 0.532615 | 1.000283 |
| 0.533062 | 1.000283 |
| 0.533509 | 1.000283 |
| 0.533957 | 1.000283 |
| 0.534405 | 1.000283 |
| 0.534853 | 1.000283 |
| 0.535302 | 1.000282 |
| 0.535751 | 1.000282 |
| 0.536201 | 1.000282 |
| 0.536651 | 1.000282 |
| 0.537101 | 1.000282 |
| 0.537552 | 1.000282 |
| 0.538003 | 1.000282 |
| 0.538454 | 1.000282 |
| 0.538906 | 1.000282 |
| 0.539359 | 1.000282 |
| 0.539811 | 1.000282 |
| 0.540264 | 1.000282 |
| 0.540718 | 1.000282 |
| 0.541171 | 1.000282 |
| 0.541625 | 1.000282 |
| 0.54208 | 1.000282 |
| 0.542535 | 1.000282 |
| 0.54299 | 1.000282 |
| 0.543446 | 1.000282 |
| 0.543902 | 1.000282 |
| 0.544358 | 1.000282 |
| 0.544815 | 1.000282 |
| 0.545272 | 1.000282 |
| 0.54573 | 1.000282 |
| 0.546188 | 1.000282 |
| 0.546646 | 1.000282 |
| 0.547105 | 1.000282 |
| 0.547564 | 1.000282 |
| 0.548023 | 1.000282 |
| 0.548483 | 1.000282 |
| 0.548944 | 1.000282 |
| 0.549404 | 1.000282 |
| 0.549865 | 1.000282 |
| 0.550327 | 1.000282 |
| 0.550788 | 1.000282 |
| 0.551251 | 1.000282 |
| 0.551713 | 1.000282 |
| 0.552176 | 1.000282 |
| 0.55264 | 1.000282 |
| 0.553103 | 1.000282 |
| 0.553567 | 1.000282 |
| 0.554032 | 1.000282 |
| 0.554497 | 1.000282 |
| 0.554962 | 1.000282 |
| 0.555428 | 1.000282 |
| 0.555894 | 1.000282 |
| 0.556361 | 1.000282 |
| 0.556827 | 1.000282 |
| 0.557295 | 1.000282 |
| 0.557762 | 1.000282 |
| 0.55823 | 1.000282 |
| 0.558699 | 1.000282 |
| 0.559168 | 1.000282 |
| 0.559637 | 1.000282 |
| 0.560107 | 1.000282 |
| 0.560577 | 1.000282 |
| 0.561047 | 1.000282 |
| 0.561518 | 1.000282 |
| 0.561989 | 1.000282 |
| 0.562461 | 1.000282 |
| 0.562933 | 1.000282 |
| 0.563405 | 1.000282 |
| 0.563878 | 1.000282 |
| 0.564351 | 1.000282 |
| 0.564825 | 1.000282 |
| 0.565299 | 1.000282 |
| 0.565773 | 1.000282 |
| 0.566248 | 1.000282 |
| 0.566723 | 1.000282 |
| 0.567198 | 1.000282 |
| 0.567674 | 1.000282 |
| 0.568151 | 1.000282 |
| 0.568628 | 1.000282 |
| 0.569105 | 1.000282 |
| 0.569582 | 1.000282 |
| 0.57006 | 1.000282 |
| 0.570539 | 1.000282 |
| 0.571017 | 1.000282 |
| 0.571497 | 1.000282 |
| 0.571976 | 1.000282 |
| 0.572456 | 1.000282 |
| 0.572936 | 1.000282 |
| 0.573417 | 1.000282 |
| 0.573898 | 1.000282 |
| 0.57438 | 1.000282 |
| 0.574862 | 1.000282 |
| 0.575344 | 1.000282 |
| 0.575827 | 1.000282 |
| 0.57631 | 1.000282 |
| 0.576794 | 1.000282 |
| 0.577278 | 1.000282 |
| 0.577763 | 1.000282 |
| 0.578247 | 1.000282 |
| 0.578733 | 1.000282 |
| 0.579218 | 1.000282 |
| 0.579704 | 1.000282 |
| 0.580191 | 1.000282 |
| 0.580678 | 1.000282 |
| 0.581165 | 1.000282 |
| 0.581653 | 1.000282 |
| 0.582141 | 1.000282 |
| 0.582629 | 1.000282 |
| 0.583118 | 1.000282 |
| 0.583608 | 1.000282 |
| 0.584097 | 1.000282 |
| 0.584587 | 1.000282 |
| 0.585078 | 1.000282 |
| 0.585569 | 1.000282 |
| 0.58606 | 1.000282 |
| 0.586552 | 1.000282 |
| 0.587044 | 1.000282 |
| 0.587537 | 1.000282 |
| 0.58803 | 1.000282 |
| 0.588523 | 1.000282 |
| 0.589017 | 1.000282 |
| 0.589512 | 1.000282 |
| 0.590006 | 1.000282 |
| 0.590501 | 1.000282 |
| 0.590997 | 1.000282 |
| 0.591493 | 1.000282 |
| 0.591989 | 1.000282 |
| 0.592486 | 1.000282 |
| 0.592983 | 1.000282 |
| 0.593481 | 1.000282 |
| 0.593979 | 1.000282 |
| 0.594477 | 1.000281 |
| 0.594976 | 1.000281 |
| 0.595475 | 1.000281 |
| 0.595975 | 1.000281 |
| 0.596475 | 1.000281 |
| 0.596976 | 1.000281 |
| 0.597477 | 1.000281 |
| 0.597978 | 1.000281 |
| 0.59848 | 1.000281 |
| 0.598982 | 1.000281 |
| 0.599485 | 1.000281 |
| 0.599988 | 1.000281 |
| 0.600491 | 1.000281 |
| 0.600995 | 1.000281 |
| 0.6015 | 1.000281 |
| 0.602004 | 1.000281 |
| 0.60251 | 1.000281 |
| 0.603015 | 1.000281 |
| 0.603521 | 1.000281 |
| 0.604028 | 1.000281 |
| 0.604534 | 1.000281 |
| 0.605042 | 1.000281 |
| 0.605549 | 1.000281 |
| 0.606058 | 1.000281 |
| 0.606566 | 1.000281 |
| 0.607075 | 1.000281 |
| 0.607585 | 1.000281 |
| 0.608095 | 1.000281 |
| 0.608605 | 1.000281 |
| 0.609116 | 1.000281 |
| 0.609627 | 1.000281 |
| 0.610138 | 1.000281 |
| 0.61065 | 1.000281 |
| 0.611163 | 1.000281 |
| 0.611676 | 1.000281 |
| 0.612189 | 1.000281 |
| 0.612703 | 1.000281 |
| 0.613217 | 1.000281 |
| 0.613731 | 1.000281 |
| 0.614246 | 1.000281 |
| 0.614762 | 1.000281 |
| 0.615278 | 1.000281 |
| 0.615794 | 1.000281 |
| 0.616311 | 1.000281 |
| 0.616828 | 1.000281 |
| 0.617346 | 1.000281 |
| 0.617864 | 1.000281 |
| 0.618382 | 1.000281 |
| 0.618901 | 1.000281 |
| 0.61942 | 1.000281 |
| 0.61994 | 1.000281 |
| 0.62046 | 1.000281 |
| 0.620981 | 1.000281 |
| 0.621502 | 1.000281 |
| 0.622024 | 1.000281 |
| 0.622546 | 1.000281 |
| 0.623068 | 1.000281 |
| 0.623591 | 1.000281 |
| 0.624114 | 1.000281 |
| 0.624638 | 1.000281 |
| 0.625162 | 1.000281 |
| 0.625687 | 1.000281 |
| 0.626212 | 1.000281 |
| 0.626737 | 1.000281 |
| 0.627263 | 1.000281 |
| 0.62779 | 1.000281 |
| 0.628316 | 1.000281 |
| 0.628844 | 1.000281 |
| 0.629371 | 1.000281 |
| 0.6299 | 1.000281 |
| 0.630428 | 1.000281 |
| 0.630957 | 1.000281 |
| 0.631487 | 1.000281 |
| 0.632017 | 1.000281 |
| 0.632547 | 1.000281 |
| 0.633078 | 1.000281 |
| 0.633609 | 1.000281 |
| 0.634141 | 1.000281 |
| 0.634673 | 1.000281 |
| 0.635205 | 1.000281 |
| 0.635738 | 1.000281 |
| 0.636272 | 1.000281 |
| 0.636806 | 1.000281 |
| 0.63734 | 1.000281 |
| 0.637875 | 1.000281 |
| 0.63841 | 1.000281 |
| 0.638946 | 1.000281 |
| 0.639482 | 1.000281 |
| 0.640019 | 1.000281 |
| 0.640556 | 1.000281 |
| 0.641094 | 1.000281 |
| 0.641631 | 1.000281 |
| 0.64217 | 1.000281 |
| 0.642709 | 1.000281 |
| 0.643248 | 1.000281 |
| 0.643788 | 1.000281 |
| 0.644328 | 1.000281 |
| 0.644869 | 1.000281 |
| 0.64541 | 1.000281 |
| 0.645952 | 1.000281 |
| 0.646494 | 1.000281 |
| 0.647036 | 1.000281 |
| 0.647579 | 1.000281 |
| 0.648123 | 1.000281 |
| 0.648666 | 1.000281 |
| 0.649211 | 1.000281 |
| 0.649756 | 1.000281 |
| 0.650301 | 1.000281 |
| 0.650847 | 1.000281 |
| 0.651393 | 1.000281 |
| 0.651939 | 1.000281 |
| 0.652486 | 1.000281 |
| 0.653034 | 1.000281 |
| 0.653582 | 1.000281 |
| 0.65413 | 1.000281 |
| 0.654679 | 1.000281 |
| 0.655229 | 1.000281 |
| 0.655779 | 1.000281 |
| 0.656329 | 1.000281 |
| 0.65688 | 1.000281 |
| 0.657431 | 1.000281 |
| 0.657983 | 1.000281 |
| 0.658535 | 1.000281 |
| 0.659087 | 1.000281 |
| 0.65964 | 1.000281 |
| 0.660194 | 1.000281 |
| 0.660748 | 1.000281 |
| 0.661302 | 1.000281 |
| 0.661857 | 1.000281 |
| 0.662413 | 1.000281 |
| 0.662969 | 1.000281 |
| 0.663525 | 1.000281 |
| 0.664082 | 1.000281 |
| 0.664639 | 1.000281 |
| 0.665197 | 1.000281 |
| 0.665755 | 1.000281 |
| 0.666314 | 1.000281 |
| 0.666873 | 1.000281 |
| 0.667432 | 1.000281 |
| 0.667993 | 1.000281 |
| 0.668553 | 1.000281 |
| 0.669114 | 1.000281 |
| 0.669676 | 1.000281 |
| 0.670238 | 1.000281 |
| 0.6708 | 1.000281 |
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
- —
Standard conditions: 0 °C, 760 torr (101.325 kPa).