Optical constants

Refractive index of C₂H₅OH (Ethanol)

Rheims et al. 1997: n 0.477–0.83 µm

Data: formula 5
Range: 0.4765–0.83 µm
Temperature: 293 K
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.36168
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 1.85417
Permittivity ε₂: 0

Absorption coefficient α: 0 cm⁻¹
Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk): — nm

Abbe number V_d: 59.353
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.0313072 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.38008
Group velocity dispersion: 58.8225 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -320.908 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

# C2H5OH (Ethanol): Rheims et al. 1997: n 0.477–0.83 µm
c2h5oh = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("organic", "ethanol", "Rheims", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(c2h5oh.range_nm)  # (476.5, 830) nm
eps = c2h5oh.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_63206dc7bc44/lightsmith"
c2h5oh = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(c2h5oh.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (ethanol/rheims-1997).

# ... load c2h5oh as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
    particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=c2h5oh)],
    medium_index=1.0,
    wavelengths=ls.WavelengthRange(start_nm=477, stop_nm=830, 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.

Dispersion formula

Cauchy (formula 5), λ in µm

n = 1.35265 + 0.00306 λ^{- 2.0} + 2 \times 10^{-5} λ^{- 4.0}

Valid from 0.4765 to 0.83 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	1.35265
C2	0.00306
C3	-2.0
C4	2e-05
C5	-4.0

Comments and conditions

20 °C

Conditions

temperature: 293 K

References

J. Rheims, J Köser, T Wriedt. Refractive-index measurements in the near-IR using an Abbe refractometer. Meas. Sci. Technol. 8, 601-605 (1997)

doi:10.1088/0957-0233/8/6/003 Refractive-index measurements in the near-IR using an Abbe refractometer, Measurement Science and Technology (1997)

Cite

J Rheims, J Köser and T Wriedt. Refractive-index measurements in the near-IR using an Abbe refractometer. Measurement Science and Technology, 8, 601-605 (1997), doi:10.1088/0957-0233/8/6/003; 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

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

C2H5OH (Ethanol), Rheims et al. 1997: n 0.477–0.83 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.4765	1.366515
0.477163	1.366475
0.477827	1.366436
0.478492	1.366397
0.479158	1.366357
0.479825	1.366318
0.480493	1.366279
0.481162	1.36624
0.481832	1.366202
0.482502	1.366163
0.483174	1.366124
0.483846	1.366086
0.48452	1.366048
0.485194	1.366009
0.485869	1.365971
0.486546	1.365933
0.487223	1.365895
0.487901	1.365858
0.48858	1.36582
0.48926	1.365782
0.489941	1.365745
0.490623	1.365708
0.491306	1.36567
0.49199	1.365633
0.492674	1.365596
0.49336	1.365559
0.494047	1.365522
0.494735	1.365486
0.495423	1.365449
0.496113	1.365413
0.496803	1.365376
0.497495	1.36534
0.498187	1.365304
0.49888	1.365268
0.499575	1.365232
0.50027	1.365196
0.500966	1.36516
0.501664	1.365125
0.502362	1.365089
0.503061	1.365054
0.503761	1.365018
0.504462	1.364983
0.505165	1.364948
0.505868	1.364913
0.506572	1.364878
0.507277	1.364843
0.507983	1.364809
0.50869	1.364774
0.509398	1.36474
0.510107	1.364705
0.510817	1.364671
0.511528	1.364637
0.51224	1.364603
0.512953	1.364569
0.513667	1.364535
0.514382	1.364501
0.515098	1.364467
0.515815	1.364433
0.516533	1.3644
0.517251	1.364367
0.517971	1.364333
0.518692	1.3643
0.519414	1.364267
0.520137	1.364234
0.520861	1.364201
0.521586	1.364168
0.522312	1.364135
0.523039	1.364103
0.523767	1.36407
0.524496	1.364038
0.525226	1.364005
0.525957	1.363973
0.526689	1.363941
0.527422	1.363909
0.528156	1.363877
0.528891	1.363845
0.529628	1.363813
0.530365	1.363781
0.531103	1.36375
0.531842	1.363718
0.532582	1.363687
0.533324	1.363655
0.534066	1.363624
0.534809	1.363593
0.535554	1.363562
0.536299	1.363531
0.537045	1.3635
0.537793	1.363469
0.538541	1.363439
0.539291	1.363408
0.540042	1.363377
0.540793	1.363347
0.541546	1.363317
0.5423	1.363286
0.543055	1.363256
0.54381	1.363226
0.544567	1.363196
0.545325	1.363166
0.546084	1.363136
0.546844	1.363106
0.547605	1.363077
0.548368	1.363047
0.549131	1.363018
0.549895	1.362988
0.55066	1.362959
0.551427	1.36293
0.552194	1.362901
0.552963	1.362872
0.553733	1.362843
0.554503	1.362814
0.555275	1.362785
0.556048	1.362756
0.556822	1.362727
0.557597	1.362699
0.558373	1.36267
0.55915	1.362642
0.559928	1.362614
0.560708	1.362585
0.561488	1.362557
0.56227	1.362529
0.563052	1.362501
0.563836	1.362473
0.564621	1.362445
0.565407	1.362418
0.566193	1.36239
0.566982	1.362362
0.567771	1.362335
0.568561	1.362307
0.569352	1.36228
0.570145	1.362253
0.570938	1.362226
0.571733	1.362198
0.572529	1.362171
0.573326	1.362144
0.574124	1.362118
0.574923	1.362091
0.575723	1.362064
0.576524	1.362037
0.577327	1.362011
0.57813	1.361984
0.578935	1.361958
0.579741	1.361932
0.580547	1.361905
0.581355	1.361879
0.582165	1.361853
0.582975	1.361827
0.583786	1.361801
0.584599	1.361775
0.585413	1.361749
0.586227	1.361723
0.587043	1.361698
0.58786	1.361672
0.588679	1.361647
0.589498	1.361621
0.590318	1.361596
0.59114	1.36157
0.591963	1.361545
0.592787	1.36152
0.593612	1.361495
0.594438	1.36147
0.595265	1.361445
0.596094	1.36142
0.596924	1.361395
0.597754	1.361371
0.598586	1.361346
0.599419	1.361321
0.600254	1.361297
0.601089	1.361272
0.601926	1.361248
0.602764	1.361224
0.603603	1.3612
0.604443	1.361175
0.605284	1.361151
0.606126	1.361127
0.60697	1.361103
0.607815	1.361079
0.608661	1.361056
0.609508	1.361032
0.610356	1.361008
0.611206	1.360984
0.612057	1.360961
0.612908	1.360937
0.613762	1.360914
0.614616	1.360891
0.615471	1.360867
0.616328	1.360844
0.617186	1.360821
0.618045	1.360798
0.618905	1.360775
0.619766	1.360752
0.620629	1.360729
0.621493	1.360706
0.622358	1.360684
0.623224	1.360661
0.624091	1.360638
0.62496	1.360616
0.62583	1.360593
0.626701	1.360571
0.627573	1.360548
0.628447	1.360526
0.629321	1.360504
0.630197	1.360482
0.631074	1.36046
0.631953	1.360438
0.632832	1.360416
0.633713	1.360394
0.634595	1.360372
0.635478	1.36035
0.636363	1.360328
0.637249	1.360307
0.638136	1.360285
0.639024	1.360263
0.639913	1.360242
0.640804	1.360221
0.641696	1.360199
0.642589	1.360178
0.643483	1.360157
0.644379	1.360136
0.645276	1.360114
0.646174	1.360093
0.647073	1.360072
0.647974	1.360051
0.648876	1.360031
0.649779	1.36001
0.650683	1.359989
0.651589	1.359968
0.652496	1.359948
0.653404	1.359927
0.654313	1.359907
0.655224	1.359886
0.656136	1.359866
0.657049	1.359845
0.657964	1.359825
0.65888	1.359805
0.659797	1.359785
0.660715	1.359765
0.661635	1.359744
0.662556	1.359724
0.663478	1.359705
0.664401	1.359685
0.665326	1.359665
0.666252	1.359645
0.667179	1.359625
0.668108	1.359606
0.669038	1.359586
0.669969	1.359567
0.670901	1.359547
0.671835	1.359528
0.67277	1.359508
0.673707	1.359489
0.674644	1.35947
0.675583	1.35945
0.676524	1.359431
0.677465	1.359412
0.678408	1.359393
0.679352	1.359374
0.680298	1.359355
0.681245	1.359336
0.682193	1.359318
0.683143	1.359299
0.684093	1.35928
0.685046	1.359261
0.685999	1.359243
0.686954	1.359224
0.68791	1.359206
0.688867	1.359187
0.689826	1.359169
0.690786	1.35915
0.691748	1.359132
0.692711	1.359114
0.693675	1.359096
0.69464	1.359078
0.695607	1.359059
0.696575	1.359041
0.697545	1.359023
0.698516	1.359005
0.699488	1.358988
0.700461	1.35897
0.701436	1.358952
0.702413	1.358934
0.70339	1.358917
0.704369	1.358899
0.70535	1.358881
0.706331	1.358864
0.707315	1.358846
0.708299	1.358829
0.709285	1.358811
0.710272	1.358794
0.711261	1.358777
0.712251	1.35876
0.713242	1.358742
0.714235	1.358725
0.715229	1.358708
0.716224	1.358691
0.717221	1.358674
0.718219	1.358657
0.719219	1.35864
0.72022	1.358624
0.721222	1.358607
0.722226	1.35859
0.723231	1.358573
0.724238	1.358557
0.725246	1.35854
0.726256	1.358523
0.727266	1.358507
0.728279	1.35849
0.729292	1.358474
0.730307	1.358458
0.731324	1.358441
0.732342	1.358425
0.733361	1.358409
0.734382	1.358393
0.735404	1.358376
0.736427	1.35836
0.737452	1.358344
0.738479	1.358328
0.739507	1.358312
0.740536	1.358296
0.741567	1.358281
0.742599	1.358265
0.743632	1.358249
0.744667	1.358233
0.745704	1.358218
0.746742	1.358202
0.747781	1.358186
0.748822	1.358171
0.749864	1.358155
0.750908	1.35814
0.751953	1.358124
0.753	1.358109
0.754048	1.358094
0.755097	1.358078
0.756148	1.358063
0.757201	1.358048
0.758254	1.358033
0.75931	1.358018
0.760367	1.358003
0.761425	1.357987
0.762485	1.357972
0.763546	1.357958
0.764609	1.357943
0.765673	1.357928
0.766739	1.357913
0.767806	1.357898
0.768874	1.357883
0.769945	1.357869
0.771016	1.357854
0.772089	1.357839
0.773164	1.357825
0.77424	1.35781
0.775318	1.357796
0.776397	1.357781
0.777478	1.357767
0.77856	1.357753
0.779643	1.357738
0.780728	1.357724
0.781815	1.35771
0.782903	1.357696
0.783993	1.357681
0.785084	1.357667
0.786177	1.357653
0.787271	1.357639
0.788367	1.357625
0.789464	1.357611
0.790563	1.357597
0.791663	1.357583
0.792765	1.35757
0.793868	1.357556
0.794973	1.357542
0.79608	1.357528
0.797188	1.357515
0.798297	1.357501
0.799409	1.357487
0.800521	1.357474
0.801635	1.35746
0.802751	1.357447
0.803868	1.357433
0.804987	1.35742
0.806108	1.357406
0.80723	1.357393
0.808353	1.35738
0.809478	1.357367
0.810605	1.357353
0.811733	1.35734
0.812863	1.357327
0.813994	1.357314
0.815127	1.357301
0.816262	1.357288
0.817398	1.357275
0.818536	1.357262
0.819675	1.357249
0.820816	1.357236
0.821958	1.357223
0.823102	1.35721
0.824248	1.357197
0.825395	1.357185
0.826544	1.357172
0.827694	1.357159
0.828846	1.357147
0.83	1.357134

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: —

C₂H₅OH (Ethanol): all datasets

About C2H5OH (Ethanol)

Ethanol (C₂H₆O), often simply referred to as alcohol, is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic pleasant odor. It is best known as the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages but also has significant industrial and medicinal applications. As a solvent, it is widely used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the medical field, it serves as an antiseptic, disinfectant, and as an antidote in methanol and ethylene glycol poisoning. Ethanol is also used as a renewable fuel and fuel additive, typically referred to as bioethanol, which is produced through the fermentation of sugars by yeast. Chemical formula: C₂H₅OH

More about C2H5OH (Ethanol) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/organic/C2H6O - ethanol/nk/Rheims.yml
ID: ds_63206dc7bc44
API: /v1/datasets/ds_63206dc7bc44

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