Optical constants

Refractive index of CdTe (Cadmium telluride)

Adachi et al. 1993: n,k 0.221–1.13 µm

Data: tabulated nk
Range: 0.2214–1.127 µm
Points: 500
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 3.0172
Extinction coefficient k: 0.3518

Permittivity ε₁: 8.97973
Permittivity ε₂: 2.1229

Absorption coefficient α: 75235.7 cm⁻¹
Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk): 265.831 nm

Abbe number V_d: —
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.33873 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 3.21624
Group velocity dispersion: — fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: — ps/(nm·km)
Photon energy: 2.11001 eV

ε = (n + ik)², α = 4πk/λ, n_g = 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

# CdTe (Cadmium telluride): Adachi et al. 1993: n,k 0.221–1.13 µm
cdte = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "CdTe", "Adachi", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(cdte.range_nm)  # (221.4, 1127.1) nm
eps = cdte.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_481a8e3e9f0b/lightsmith"
cdte = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(cdte.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (cdte/adachi-1993).

# ... load cdte as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
    particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=cdte)],
    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"]).

Materials guide Open a sphere of it in Studio Quick start Ask the community

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.

References

S. Adachi, T. Kimura, N. Suzuki. Optical properties of CdTe: Experiment and modeling. J. Appl. Phys. 74, 3435-3441 (1993)
[Calculation script (Python)]

doi:10.1063/1.354543 Optical properties of CdTe: Experiment and modeling, Journal of Applied Physics (1993)

Cite

Sadao Adachi, Toshifumi Kimura and Norihiro Suzuki. Optical properties of CdTe: Experiment and modeling. Journal of Applied Physics, 74, 3435-3441 (1993), doi:10.1063/1.354543; [Calculation script (Python)]; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)

Data

500 rows as published

CSV comma separated TXT tab separated YAML n, k Full database record original YAML All quantities CSV JSON metadata

CdTe (Cadmium telluride), Adachi et al. 1993: n,k 0.221–1.13 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n	k
0.2214	1.5592	2.2528
0.22176	1.5691	2.2609
0.22212	1.5792	2.269
0.22248	1.5895	2.2771
0.22284	1.6001	2.2852
0.2232	1.6111	2.2932
0.22356	1.6223	2.3012
0.22392	1.6338	2.3091
0.22429	1.6456	2.317
0.22466	1.6577	2.3248
0.22502	1.6701	2.3325
0.22539	1.6829	2.3402
0.22576	1.6959	2.3477
0.22613	1.7093	2.3551
0.22651	1.7231	2.3624
0.22688	1.7372	2.3695
0.22726	1.7516	2.3764
0.22763	1.7664	2.3832
0.22801	1.7815	2.3897
0.22839	1.797	2.3961
0.22877	1.8128	2.4021
0.22915	1.829	2.408
0.22953	1.8456	2.4135
0.22992	1.8625	2.4188
0.2303	1.8797	2.4237
0.23069	1.8973	2.4283
0.23108	1.9152	2.4325
0.23146	1.9334	2.4363
0.23185	1.952	2.4397
0.23225	1.9708	2.4426
0.23264	1.99	2.4451
0.23303	2.0094	2.4471
0.23343	2.0291	2.4486
0.23383	2.049	2.4495
0.23422	2.0691	2.4499
0.23462	2.0894	2.4497
0.23503	2.1099	2.449
0.23543	2.1306	2.4475
0.23583	2.1513	2.4455
0.23624	2.1721	2.4428
0.23664	2.193	2.4394
0.23705	2.2138	2.4354
0.23746	2.2346	2.4307
0.23787	2.2554	2.4253
0.23828	2.276	2.4191
0.2387	2.2965	2.4123
0.23911	2.3168	2.4048
0.23953	2.3369	2.3966
0.23995	2.3567	2.3877
0.24037	2.3762	2.3782
0.24079	2.3953	2.368
0.24121	2.414	2.3571
0.24163	2.4323	2.3457
0.24206	2.4501	2.3336
0.24249	2.4674	2.321
0.24292	2.4842	2.3079
0.24335	2.5004	2.2943
0.24378	2.516	2.2802
0.24421	2.531	2.2657
0.24464	2.5453	2.2509
0.24508	2.559	2.2356
0.24552	2.572	2.2201
0.24596	2.5844	2.2044
0.2464	2.596	2.1884
0.24684	2.607	2.1722
0.24728	2.6172	2.1559
0.24773	2.6268	2.1395
0.24818	2.6357	2.1231
0.24863	2.6439	2.1066
0.24908	2.6514	2.0902
0.24953	2.6583	2.0738
0.24998	2.6645	2.0576
0.25044	2.6701	2.0414
0.25089	2.6752	2.0254
0.25135	2.6796	2.0096
0.25181	2.6834	1.994
0.25228	2.6868	1.9787
0.25274	2.6896	1.9636
0.2532	2.6919	1.9487
0.25367	2.6937	1.9342
0.25414	2.6951	1.92
0.25461	2.6961	1.9061
0.25508	2.6967	1.8925
0.25556	2.6969	1.8792
0.25603	2.6968	1.8663
0.25651	2.6964	1.8538
0.25699	2.6956	1.8416
0.25747	2.6946	1.8298
0.25796	2.6934	1.8184
0.25844	2.6919	1.8073
0.25893	2.6902	1.7965
0.25942	2.6883	1.7862
0.25991	2.6862	1.7762
0.2604	2.684	1.7665
0.26089	2.6816	1.7573
0.26139	2.6791	1.7483
0.26189	2.6765	1.7397
0.26239	2.6738	1.7315
0.26289	2.6711	1.7236
0.26339	2.6683	1.716
0.2639	2.6654	1.7087
0.2644	2.6625	1.7018
0.26491	2.6596	1.6951
0.26543	2.6566	1.6888
0.26594	2.6537	1.6827
0.26645	2.6507	1.677
0.26697	2.6478	1.6715
0.26749	2.6448	1.6663
0.26801	2.6419	1.6613
0.26854	2.6391	1.6567
0.26906	2.6362	1.6522
0.26959	2.6335	1.6481
0.27012	2.6307	1.6441
0.27065	2.628	1.6404
0.27118	2.6254	1.6369
0.27172	2.6229	1.6336
0.27226	2.6204	1.6306
0.2728	2.618	1.6277
0.27334	2.6156	1.6251
0.27389	2.6134	1.6226
0.27443	2.6112	1.6203
0.27498	2.6091	1.6182
0.27553	2.607	1.6163
0.27609	2.6051	1.6146
0.27664	2.6033	1.613
0.2772	2.6015	1.6116
0.27776	2.5998	1.6104
0.27832	2.5982	1.6093
0.27889	2.5967	1.6083
0.27945	2.5954	1.6076
0.28002	2.594	1.6069
0.28059	2.5928	1.6064
0.28117	2.5917	1.606
0.28174	2.5907	1.6058
0.28232	2.5898	1.6057
0.2829	2.5889	1.6057
0.28349	2.5882	1.6059
0.28407	2.5875	1.6062
0.28466	2.587	1.6066
0.28525	2.5865	1.6072
0.28584	2.5861	1.6078
0.28644	2.5858	1.6087
0.28704	2.5856	1.6096
0.28764	2.5855	1.6107
0.28824	2.5855	1.6119
0.28885	2.5856	1.6132
0.28945	2.5857	1.6147
0.29007	2.586	1.6163
0.29068	2.5863	1.6181
0.29129	2.5867	1.62
0.29191	2.5873	1.6221
0.29253	2.5879	1.6244
0.29316	2.5886	1.6269
0.29378	2.5895	1.6296
0.29441	2.5904	1.6325
0.29505	2.5916	1.6356
0.29568	2.5928	1.6389
0.29632	2.5942	1.6425
0.29696	2.5958	1.6464
0.2976	2.5977	1.6505
0.29825	2.5997	1.655
0.29889	2.6021	1.6597
0.29955	2.6047	1.6648
0.3002	2.6077	1.6701
0.30086	2.6112	1.6758
0.30152	2.615	1.6817
0.30218	2.6194	1.688
0.30284	2.6243	1.6945
0.30351	2.6299	1.7012
0.30418	2.6361	1.7082
0.30486	2.6431	1.7153
0.30554	2.6509	1.7225
0.30622	2.6595	1.7297
0.3069	2.669	1.7368
0.30759	2.6794	1.7438
0.30828	2.6907	1.7505
0.30897	2.7031	1.7569
0.30967	2.7164	1.7627
0.31036	2.7306	1.768
0.31107	2.7457	1.7725
0.31177	2.7618	1.7761
0.31248	2.7785	1.7787
0.31319	2.796	1.7802
0.31391	2.814	1.7805
0.31463	2.8324	1.7794
0.31535	2.8511	1.777
0.31607	2.8698	1.7731
0.3168	2.8885	1.7677
0.31753	2.9068	1.7609
0.31827	2.9246	1.7527
0.31901	2.9418	1.7432
0.31975	2.9581	1.7325
0.32049	2.9735	1.7206
0.32124	2.9878	1.7078
0.32199	3.0009	1.6943
0.32275	3.0128	1.68
0.32351	3.0233	1.6654
0.32427	3.0326	1.6504
0.32504	3.0406	1.6353
0.32581	3.0474	1.6202
0.32658	3.053	1.6053
0.32736	3.0574	1.5906
0.32814	3.0608	1.5763
0.32893	3.0633	1.5625
0.32972	3.0648	1.5492
0.33051	3.0656	1.5364
0.33131	3.0656	1.5243
0.33211	3.065	1.5128
0.33291	3.0639	1.502
0.33372	3.0622	1.4919
0.33453	3.0602	1.4825
0.33535	3.0577	1.4738
0.33617	3.0549	1.4658
0.33699	3.0519	1.4586
0.33782	3.0486	1.452
0.33865	3.0451	1.4462
0.33949	3.0415	1.4411
0.34033	3.0377	1.4368
0.34117	3.0339	1.4332
0.34202	3.03	1.4304
0.34287	3.0261	1.4284
0.34373	3.0222	1.4272
0.34459	3.0185	1.427
0.34546	3.0148	1.4276
0.34633	3.0114	1.4291
0.3472	3.0082	1.4316
0.34808	3.0055	1.4351
0.34897	3.0032	1.4396
0.34985	3.0015	1.4451
0.35075	3.0005	1.4517
0.35164	3.0004	1.4593
0.35254	3.0013	1.4678
0.35345	3.0034	1.4773
0.35436	3.0067	1.4877
0.35528	3.0115	1.4988
0.3562	3.018	1.5106
0.35712	3.0262	1.5229
0.35805	3.0363	1.5355
0.35899	3.0485	1.5482
0.35993	3.0627	1.5607
0.36087	3.0792	1.573
0.36182	3.0979	1.5845
0.36278	3.1187	1.5951
0.36374	3.1418	1.6045
0.3647	3.1669	1.6123
0.36567	3.194	1.6183
0.36665	3.2228	1.6222
0.36763	3.2531	1.6236
0.36861	3.2846	1.6225
0.3696	3.317	1.6185
0.3706	3.3499	1.6117
0.3716	3.383	1.6018
0.37261	3.4159	1.5889
0.37362	3.4482	1.573
0.37464	3.4794	1.5542
0.37566	3.5094	1.5327
0.37669	3.5377	1.5087
0.37773	3.5641	1.4825
0.37877	3.5884	1.4543
0.37982	3.6104	1.4245
0.38087	3.6299	1.3933
0.38193	3.647	1.3612
0.38299	3.6616	1.3283
0.38406	3.6738	1.2951
0.38514	3.6835	1.2617
0.38622	3.691	1.2284
0.38731	3.6963	1.1955
0.3884	3.6995	1.163
0.3895	3.7009	1.1313
0.39061	3.7006	1.1003
0.39172	3.6987	1.0702
0.39284	3.6954	1.0411
0.39396	3.6909	1.013
0.3951	3.6853	0.98602
0.39623	3.6787	0.96006
0.39738	3.6712	0.93518
0.39853	3.6631	0.91137
0.39969	3.6543	0.88862
0.40086	3.645	0.8669
0.40203	3.6353	0.84619
0.40321	3.6252	0.82645
0.40439	3.6148	0.80765
0.40559	3.6043	0.78974
0.40679	3.5935	0.7727
0.40799	3.5827	0.75648
0.40921	3.5718	0.74104
0.41043	3.5609	0.72635
0.41166	3.55	0.71237
0.41289	3.5391	0.69905
0.41414	3.5282	0.68637
0.41539	3.5175	0.67429
0.41665	3.5068	0.66279
0.41791	3.4962	0.65181
0.41919	3.4858	0.64135
0.42047	3.4755	0.63136
0.42176	3.4654	0.62183
0.42306	3.4554	0.61272
0.42436	3.4455	0.60402
0.42568	3.4359	0.59569
0.427	3.4263	0.58772
0.42833	3.417	0.58009
0.42967	3.4078	0.57278
0.43102	3.3988	0.56577
0.43237	3.39	0.55903
0.43374	3.3814	0.55257
0.43511	3.3729	0.54635
0.43649	3.3646	0.54037
0.43788	3.3564	0.53461
0.43928	3.3485	0.52905
0.44069	3.3407	0.52369
0.4421	3.333	0.51851
0.44353	3.3256	0.51351
0.44497	3.3182	0.50866
0.44641	3.3111	0.50397
0.44787	3.3041	0.49941
0.44933	3.2972	0.49498
0.4508	3.2905	0.49067
0.45229	3.284	0.48648
0.45378	3.2776	0.48238
0.45528	3.2713	0.47838
0.45679	3.2652	0.47446
0.45832	3.2592	0.47062
0.45985	3.2533	0.46684
0.46139	3.2475	0.46312
0.46295	3.2419	0.45946
0.46451	3.2363	0.45583
0.46608	3.2309	0.45224
0.46767	3.2255	0.44866
0.46927	3.2202	0.4451
0.47087	3.215	0.44155
0.47249	3.2098	0.43799
0.47412	3.2046	0.43442
0.47576	3.1993	0.43084
0.47741	3.1939	0.42726
0.47908	3.1883	0.42374
0.48075	3.1822	0.42042
0.48244	3.1753	0.41778
0.48414	3.1674	0.4174
0.48585	3.1619	0.4236
0.48757	3.1737	0.42684
0.48931	3.1757	0.40794
0.49106	3.165	0.39779
0.49282	3.1552	0.39341
0.49459	3.1471	0.39086
0.49637	3.14	0.38901
0.49817	3.1337	0.38748
0.49998	3.1278	0.38614
0.50181	3.1223	0.3849
0.50365	3.1172	0.38374
0.5055	3.1123	0.38265
0.50737	3.1076	0.38159
0.50924	3.1031	0.38058
0.51114	3.0988	0.37961
0.51305	3.0947	0.37866
0.51497	3.0907	0.37774
0.5169	3.0868	0.37684
0.51885	3.0831	0.37597
0.52082	3.0795	0.37511
0.5228	3.076	0.37427
0.5248	3.0727	0.37346
0.52681	3.0694	0.37265
0.52883	3.0663	0.37186
0.53087	3.0633	0.37108
0.53293	3.0604	0.37031
0.53501	3.0576	0.36956
0.5371	3.0548	0.36881
0.5392	3.0522	0.36806
0.54133	3.0497	0.36732
0.54347	3.0473	0.36659
0.54562	3.0449	0.36586
0.5478	3.0427	0.36513
0.54999	3.0405	0.36441
0.5522	3.0384	0.36368
0.55442	3.0364	0.36295
0.55667	3.0345	0.36222
0.55893	3.0327	0.36148
0.56121	3.031	0.36073
0.56351	3.0293	0.35998
0.56583	3.0278	0.35923
0.56817	3.0263	0.35846
0.57053	3.0249	0.35768
0.57291	3.0235	0.35689
0.5753	3.0223	0.35608
0.57772	3.0211	0.35526
0.58016	3.02	0.35443
0.58262	3.019	0.35357
0.5851	3.0181	0.3527
0.5876	3.0172	0.3518
0.59012	3.0164	0.35088
0.59266	3.0157	0.34994
0.59523	3.0151	0.34897
0.59782	3.0146	0.34798
0.60043	3.0141	0.34695
0.60306	3.0137	0.34589
0.60572	3.0134	0.3448
0.6084	3.0131	0.34368
0.6111	3.013	0.34251
0.61383	3.0129	0.34131
0.61658	3.0129	0.34007
0.61936	3.0129	0.33878
0.62217	3.0131	0.33744
0.62499	3.0133	0.33606
0.62785	3.0136	0.33462
0.63073	3.0139	0.33313
0.63363	3.0143	0.33158
0.63657	3.0149	0.32997
0.63953	3.0154	0.3283
0.64252	3.0161	0.32656
0.64554	3.0168	0.32475
0.64858	3.0176	0.32287
0.65165	3.0185	0.32091
0.65476	3.0195	0.31886
0.65789	3.0205	0.31673
0.66105	3.0216	0.3145
0.66425	3.0228	0.31218
0.66747	3.0241	0.30976
0.67073	3.0254	0.30723
0.67402	3.0268	0.30459
0.67734	3.0283	0.30182
0.68069	3.0298	0.29892
0.68408	3.0315	0.29589
0.6875	3.0331	0.29272
0.69095	3.0349	0.28939
0.69445	3.0367	0.2859
0.69797	3.0386	0.28223
0.70153	3.0406	0.27838
0.70513	3.0426	0.27432
0.70877	3.0447	0.27005
0.71244	3.0468	0.26555
0.71615	3.0489	0.2608
0.7199	3.0512	0.25577
0.72369	3.0534	0.25045
0.72752	3.0557	0.24481
0.73139	3.0579	0.23882
0.7353	3.0602	0.23243
0.73925	3.0624	0.22561
0.74325	3.0646	0.2183
0.74729	3.0666	0.21046
0.75137	3.0685	0.202
0.7555	3.07	0.19284
0.75968	3.0712	0.18289
0.7639	3.0716	0.17204
0.76817	3.0709	0.16026
0.77248	3.0682	0.14768
0.77685	3.0621	0.13544
0.78126	3.0512	0.12873
0.78573	3.0508	0.13784
0.79024	3.0772	0.11793
0.79481	3.064	0.082428
0.79943	3.0426	0.0676
0.80411	3.0252	0.060849
0.80884	3.0109	0.057065
0.81363	2.9988	0.0546
0.81847	2.9882	0.052818
0.82337	2.9788	0.051434
0.82833	2.9702	0.050302
0.83335	2.9623	0.04934
0.83843	2.955	0.048498
0.84358	2.9481	0.047745
0.84879	2.9416	0.047059
0.85406	2.9355	0.046427
0.8594	2.9297	0.045836
0.8648	2.9241	0.04528
0.87028	2.9188	0.044752
0.87582	2.9136	0.044249
0.88144	2.9087	0.043766
0.88713	2.9039	0.043302
0.89289	2.8993	0.042852
0.89872	2.8949	0.042417
0.90464	2.8905	0.041994
0.91063	2.8863	0.041581
0.9167	2.8823	0.041179
0.92285	2.8783	0.040785
0.92909	2.8744	0.0404
0.93541	2.8707	0.040022
0.94182	2.867	0.039651
0.94832	2.8634	0.039287
0.9549	2.8599	0.038929
0.96158	2.8564	0.038576
0.96835	2.8531	0.038229
0.97522	2.8498	0.037886
0.98219	2.8466	0.037549
0.98926	2.8434	0.037216
0.99643	2.8403	0.036887
1.0037	2.8373	0.036562
1.0111	2.8343	0.036241
1.0186	2.8314	0.035923
1.0262	2.8285	0.03561
1.0339	2.8257	0.035299
1.0417	2.8229	0.034992
1.0497	2.8201	0.034688
1.0578	2.8175	0.034388
1.066	2.8148	0.03409
1.0743	2.8122	0.033795
1.0827	2.8097	0.033502
1.0913	2.8072	0.033213
1.1001	2.8047	0.032926
1.1089	2.8023	0.032641
1.118	2.7999	0.032359
1.1271	2.7975	0.03208

Optical transmission calculator

Free-standing sample in vacuum, normal incidence

Transmittance T: —
Reflectance R: —

Fresnel reflection calculator

R_p: —
R_s: —
R = (R_p+R_s)/2: —
Phase φ_p: —
Phase φ_s: —
Brewster angle θ_B: —
Critical angle θ_C: —

CdTe (Cadmium telluride): all datasets

Experimental data

Models and simulations

Adachi et al. 1993: n,k 0.221–1.13 µm n,k 0.2214–1.127 µm

About CdTe (Cadmium telluride)

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is an inorganic compound that typically crystallizes in a cubic zincblende structure. It is a direct bandgap semiconductor with a bandgap energy of approximately 1.5 eV, making it highly suitable for photovoltaic applications, especially thin-film solar cells. CdTe solar cells are commercially significant due to their lower manufacturing costs and competitive efficiency levels compared to silicon-based cells. Besides photovoltaics, CdTe is also employed in infrared detectors, radiation detectors, and electro-optic modulators. However, the presence of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, calls for stringent handling and disposal protocols and has prompted research into recycling methods. Synthesis methods for CdTe include physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and close-spaced sublimation, among others, each offering unique advantages in terms of film quality and manufacturing scalability. Despite the environmental concerns related to its toxicity, CdTe remains a highly relevant material in renewable energy technologies and continues to attract research efforts aimed at mitigating its environmental impact.

Cadmium telluride - Wikipedia

More about CdTe (Cadmium telluride) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/main/CdTe/nk/Adachi.yml
ID: ds_481a8e3e9f0b
API: /v1/datasets/ds_481a8e3e9f0b

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