Hg (Mercury)

Metals and conductors

1 dataset, together covering 0.06358–6.199 µm. Default: Inagaki et al. 1981: n,k 0.0636–6.20 µm.

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Datasets

Inagaki et al. 1981: n,k 0.0636–6.20 µm n,k 0.06358–6.199 µm default

Use it in Lightsmith

Load this data in Python, simulate in one more line

pip install lightsmith

import lightsmith as ls

# Hg (Mercury): Inagaki et al. 1981: n,k 0.0636–6.20 µm
hg = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "Hg", "Inagaki", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(hg.range_nm)  # (63.58, 6199.21) nm
eps = hg.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_ffc679738529/lightsmith"
hg = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(hg.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (hg/inagaki-1981).

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

About Hg (Mercury)

Mercury (Hg) is a liquid metal at room temperature, notable for its high density and low melting point. While it has limited direct applications in optics, mercury vapor is used in some specialized lighting sources such as mercury-vapor lamps. It's crucial to exercise extreme caution when handling mercury due to its toxic nature, especially in vapor form. Mercury amalgams and compounds are also utilized in various technologies but are being phased out in many applications due to environmental and health concerns. It's worth mentioning that in older barometers and thermometers, mercury was commonly used, although alternatives have largely replaced it in such devices today.

Other names: Mercury

Also listed in

API: /v1/materials/mat_8a98f8ddf509 · slug hg