Optical constants

Refractive index of BN (Boron nitride)

Rah et al. 2019: h-BN; n(e) 0.4–1.6 µm

Data
formula 2
Range
0.4–1.6 µm
Optical axis
e
Licence
CC0-1.0

Uniaxial crystal, axes: oe

Plot

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Range 0.4–1.6 µm
Refractive index n
1.85875
Extinction coefficient k
0
Permittivity ε1
3.45494
Permittivity ε2
0
Absorption coefficient α
0 cm⁻¹
Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
— nm
Abbe number Vd
22.829
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
-0.190533 µm⁻¹
Group index ng
1.9707
Group velocity dispersion
381.973 fs²/mm
Dispersion parameter D
-2083.86 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

# BN (Boron nitride): Rah et al. 2019: h-BN; n(e) 0.4–1.6 µm
bn = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "BN", "Rah-e", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(bn.range_nm)  # (400, 1600) nm
eps = bn.eps([633])  # complex permittivity

Downloads the original record once (pinned to the imported snapshot) and caches it.

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

Sellmeier (C in µm²) (formula 2), λ in µm
n2−1=2.2631λ2λ2−0.026981

Valid from 0.4 to 1.6 µm.

Coefficients as stored
CiValue
C10.0
C22.2631
C30.026981

Comments and conditions

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Mechanically exfoliated, few-hundred-nm-thick h-BN flakes on a Si substrate. Extraordinary ray (e).

Conditions

direction
e

References

Y. Rah, Y. Jin, S. Kim, K. Yu. Optical analysis of the refractive index and birefringence of hexagonal boron nitride from the visible to near-infrared. Opt. Lett., 44, 3797-3800 (2019)
  • doi:10.1364/ol.44.003797 Optical analysis of the refractive index and birefringence of hexagonal boron nitride from the visible to near-infrared, Optics Letters (2019)

Cite

Yoonhyuk Rah, Yeonghoon Jin, Sejeong Kim and Kyoungsik Yu. Optical analysis of the refractive index and birefringence of hexagonal boron nitride from the visible to near-infrared. Optics Letters, 44, 3797 (2019), doi:10.1364/ol.44.003797; 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
BN (Boron nitride), Rah et al. 2019: h-BN; n(e) 0.4–1.6 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)n
0.41.929284
0.4013921.928294
0.4027891.927314
0.4041911.926342
0.4055981.925379
0.407011.924425
0.4084261.92348
0.4098481.922543
0.4112741.921615
0.4127061.920695
0.4141421.919784
0.4155831.918881
0.417031.917986
0.4184811.917099
0.4199381.91622
0.4213991.915348
0.4228661.914485
0.4243381.913629
0.4258151.912781
0.4272971.911941
0.4287841.911108
0.4302761.910282
0.4317741.909464
0.4332771.908653
0.4347851.907849
0.4362981.907052
0.4378161.906262
0.439341.905479
0.4408691.904703
0.4424041.903933
0.4439431.903171
0.4454891.902415
0.4470391.901666
0.4485951.900923
0.4501561.900186
0.4517231.899456
0.4532951.898733
0.4548731.898015
0.4564561.897304
0.4580451.896599
0.4596391.895899
0.4612391.895206
0.4628441.894519
0.4644551.893838
0.4660721.893162
0.4676941.892493
0.4693211.891829
0.4709551.89117
0.4725941.890518
0.4742391.88987
0.4758891.889229
0.4775461.888592
0.4792081.887961
0.4808761.887336
0.4825491.886715
0.4842291.8861
0.4859141.88549
0.4876051.884885
0.4893031.884285
0.4910061.88369
0.4927141.883101
0.4944291.882516
0.496151.881936
0.4978771.88136
0.499611.88079
0.5013491.880224
0.5030941.879663
0.5048451.879107
0.5066021.878555
0.5083651.878008
0.5101341.877465
0.511911.876927
0.5136921.876393
0.5154791.875864
0.5172741.875339
0.5190741.874818
0.520881.874301
0.5226931.873789
0.5245131.873281
0.5263381.872777
0.528171.872277
0.5300081.871781
0.5318531.871289
0.5337041.870802
0.5355621.870318
0.5374261.869838
0.5392961.869362
0.5411731.86889
0.5430571.868421
0.5449471.867957
0.5468431.867496
0.5487471.867039
0.5506571.866585
0.5525731.866136
0.5544961.865689
0.5564261.865247
0.5583631.864808
0.5603061.864372
0.5622561.86394
0.5642131.863511
0.5661771.863086
0.5681481.862664
0.5701251.862246
0.5721091.861831
0.57411.861419
0.5760991.86101
0.5781041.860605
0.5801161.860203
0.5821351.859804
0.5841611.859408
0.5861941.859015
0.5882341.858626
0.5902821.858239
0.5923361.857856
0.5943981.857475
0.5964661.857098
0.5985421.856723
0.6006261.856352
0.6027161.855983
0.6048141.855618
0.6069191.855255
0.6090311.854895
0.6111511.854537
0.6132781.854183
0.6154131.853831
0.6175541.853482
0.6197041.853136
0.6218611.852793
0.6240251.852452
0.6261971.852114
0.6283761.851778
0.6305631.851445
0.6327581.851115
0.634961.850787
0.637171.850462
0.6393881.850139
0.6416131.849818
0.6438471.849501
0.6460871.849185
0.6483361.848872
0.6505931.848562
0.6528571.848254
0.6551291.847948
0.6574091.847645
0.6596971.847344
0.6619931.847045
0.6642981.846748
0.666611.846454
0.668931.846162
0.6712581.845872
0.6735941.845585
0.6759391.8453
0.6782911.845017
0.6806521.844736
0.6830211.844457
0.6853981.84418
0.6877841.843905
0.6901771.843633
0.692581.843363
0.694991.843094
0.6974091.842828
0.6998361.842564
0.7022721.842301
0.7047161.842041
0.7071691.841783
0.709631.841526
0.71211.841272
0.7145791.841019
0.7170661.840769
0.7195611.84052
0.7220661.840273
0.7245791.840028
0.7271011.839785
0.7296311.839544
0.7321711.839304
0.7347191.839067
0.7372761.838831
0.7398421.838597
0.7424171.838364
0.7450011.838134
0.7475941.837905
0.7501961.837678
0.7528071.837452
0.7554271.837228
0.7580571.837006
0.7606951.836786
0.7633431.836567
0.7659991.83635
0.7686651.836134
0.7713411.83592
0.7740251.835708
0.7767191.835497
0.7794231.835288
0.7821351.835081
0.7848581.834875
0.7875891.83467
0.7903311.834467
0.7930811.834266
0.7958421.834066
0.7986111.833867
0.8013911.83367
0.804181.833474
0.8069791.83328
0.8097881.833088
0.8126061.832896
0.8154341.832707
0.8182731.832518
0.8211211.832331
0.8239781.832146
0.8268461.831961
0.8297241.831778
0.8326121.831597
0.835511.831417
0.8384181.831238
0.8413361.83106
0.8442641.830884
0.8472021.830709
0.8501511.830535
0.853111.830363
0.8560791.830192
0.8590591.830022
0.8620491.829853
0.8650491.829686
0.868061.82952
0.8710811.829355
0.8741131.829191
0.8771551.829029
0.8802081.828867
0.8832721.828707
0.8863461.828548
0.8894311.82839
0.8925261.828234
0.8956331.828078
0.898751.827924
0.9018781.827771
0.9050171.827619
0.9081671.827468
0.9113281.827318
0.91451.827169
0.9176821.827021
0.9208761.826875
0.9240811.826729
0.9272981.826585
0.9305251.826441
0.9337641.826299
0.9370141.826157
0.9402751.826017
0.9435481.825878
0.9468321.825739
0.9501271.825602
0.9534341.825466
0.9567521.825331
0.9600821.825196
0.9634241.825063
0.9667771.824931
0.9701421.824799
0.9735181.824669
0.9769071.824539
0.9803071.824411
0.9837191.824283
0.9871421.824156
0.9905781.82403
0.9940261.823906
0.9974851.823782
1.000961.823659
1.004441.823536
1.007941.823415
1.011441.823295
1.014971.823175
1.01851.823056
1.022041.822939
1.02561.822822
1.029171.822706
1.032751.82259
1.036351.822476
1.039951.822362
1.043571.822249
1.04721.822137
1.050851.822026
1.054511.821916
1.058181.821806
1.061861.821697
1.065561.821589
1.069261.821482
1.072991.821376
1.076721.82127
1.080471.821165
1.084231.821061
1.0881.820957
1.091791.820855
1.095591.820753
1.09941.820651
1.103231.820551
1.107071.820451
1.110921.820352
1.114791.820254
1.118671.820156
1.122561.820059
1.126471.819963
1.130391.819867
1.134321.819773
1.138271.819678
1.142231.819585
1.146211.819492
1.15021.8194
1.15421.819308
1.158221.819217
1.162251.819127
1.166291.819038
1.170351.818949
1.174431.81886
1.178511.818773
1.182621.818686
1.186731.818599
1.190861.818514
1.195011.818428
1.199171.818344
1.203341.81826
1.207531.818176
1.211731.818094
1.215951.818012
1.220181.81793
1.224431.817849
1.228691.817768
1.232971.817689
1.237261.817609
1.241561.817531
1.245881.817452
1.250221.817375
1.254571.817298
1.258941.817221
1.263321.817145
1.267721.81707
1.272131.816995
1.276561.816921
1.2811.816847
1.285461.816774
1.289931.816701
1.294421.816629
1.298931.816557
1.303451.816486
1.307981.816415
1.312541.816345
1.31711.816275
1.321691.816206
1.326291.816137
1.330911.816069
1.335541.816001
1.340191.815934
1.344851.815867
1.349531.8158
1.354231.815735
1.358941.815669
1.363671.815604
1.368421.81554
1.373181.815476
1.377961.815412
1.382761.815349
1.387571.815286
1.39241.815224
1.397241.815162
1.402111.815101
1.406991.81504
1.411881.81498
1.41681.81492
1.421731.81486
1.426681.814801
1.431641.814742
1.436621.814684
1.441631.814626
1.446641.814568
1.451681.814511
1.456731.814454
1.46181.814398
1.466891.814342
1.471991.814287
1.477121.814231
1.482261.814177
1.487421.814122
1.492591.814068
1.497791.814015
1.5031.813962
1.508231.813909
1.513481.813856
1.518751.813804
1.524041.813752
1.529341.813701
1.534661.81365
1.541.813599
1.545361.813549
1.550741.813499
1.556141.81345
1.561561.8134
1.566991.813351
1.572441.813303
1.577921.813255
1.583411.813207
1.588921.813159
1.594451.813112
1.61.813065

Optical transmission calculator

Free-standing sample in vacuum, normal incidence
Method
Transmittance T
—
Reflectance R
—

Fresnel reflection calculator

Direction
Rp
—
Rs
—
R = (Rp+Rs)/2
—
Phase φp
—
Phase φs
—
Brewster angle θB
—
Critical angle θC
—