Optical constants

Refractive index of Kapton

Cunningham et al. 2011: n 30–490 µm, k 30–470 µm

Data
tabulated n + tabulated k
Range
30–490 µm
Points
740
Licence
CC0-1.0

Plot

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength. Note: k data cover 30000-470000 nm only; k = 0 elsewhere in the n range 30000-490000 nm.

At one wavelength

Range 30–490 µm
Refractive index n
1.87928
Extinction coefficient k
0.0114406
Permittivity ε1
3.53155
Permittivity ε2
0.043
Absorption coefficient α
11.8815 cm⁻¹
Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk)
1.68329e+06 nm
Abbe number Vd
—
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ
-0.000113 µm⁻¹
Group index ng
1.89295
Group velocity dispersion
— fs²/mm
Dispersion parameter D
— ps/(nm·km)
Photon energy
0.0102466 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

# Kapton: Cunningham et al. 2011: n 30–490 µm, k 30–470 µm
kapton = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("other", "Kapton", "Cunningham", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(kapton.range_nm)  # (30000, 490000) nm
eps = kapton.eps([121000])  # 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.

Comments and conditions

Kapton sheet from Dupont

Notes on the source data (kept exactly as published):
  • k data cover 30000-470000 nm only; k = 0 elsewhere in the n range 30000-490000 nm

References

P. D. Cunningham, N. N. Valdes, F. A. Vallejo, L. M. Hayden, B. Polishak, X.-H. Zhou, J. Luo, A. K.-Y. Jen, J. C. Williams, R. J. Twieg. Broadband terahertz characterization of the refractive index and absorption of some important polymeric and organic electro-optic materials. J. Appl. Phys. 109, 043505-043505-5 (2011)
  • doi:10.1063/1.3549120 Broadband terahertz characterization of the refractive index and absorption of some important polymeric and organic electro-optic materials, Journal of Applied Physics (2011)

Cite

Paul D. Cunningham et al.. Broadband terahertz characterization of the refractive index and absorption of some important polymeric and organic electro-optic materials. Journal of Applied Physics, 109, 043505-043505-5 (2011), doi:10.1063/1.3549120; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)

Data

Computed on 740 wavelengths, the same grid as the API and the library
Kapton, Cunningham et al. 2011: n 30–490 µm, k 30–470 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)nk
301.820090.011629
30.11.820090.0125156
30.21.820090.0115854
30.31.82010.0108256
30.41.82010.00790387
30.51.819910.00583169
30.61.819590.00525823
30.71.819280.00667105
30.81.821390.00542354
30.91.823510.00265804
311.824010.000887999
31.11.822490.00290226
31.21.818130.0039436
31.31.815680.00457416
31.41.813240.00385095
31.51.810820.00494436
31.61.810030.00821643
31.71.810040.0092278
31.81.810050.00675322
31.91.810320.00438197
321.810590.00313981
32.11.810860.00329252
32.21.811020.00344523
32.31.811180.0038704
32.41.811370.00443141
32.51.811760.00503242
32.61.812150.00583274
32.71.812540.00649381
32.81.811260.00630471
32.91.809830.00611561
331.808520.0063528
33.11.80730.00710849
33.21.80610.00817995
33.31.805070.00846921
33.41.804030.00799759
33.51.803450.00752597
33.61.803020.00798721
33.71.80260.0085478
33.81.802940.00923375
33.91.803490.00993916
341.804050.0102708
34.11.804720.0105853
34.21.805430.0111933
34.31.806130.0121381
34.41.806550.0127511
34.51.805580.0132751
34.61.804620.0138057
34.71.803830.0143571
34.81.803170.0149085
34.91.802510.0155318
351.801440.0161938
35.11.799690.0168481
35.21.798150.0174976
35.31.797380.0181415
35.41.796620.0187683
35.51.795850.0193952
35.61.796160.0193395
35.71.796540.0191707
35.81.796910.0190133
35.91.795460.0188712
361.792740.0187291
36.11.790040.0189509
36.21.787770.0198872
36.31.787460.0235763
36.41.787150.0265173
36.51.786840.0312455
36.61.786230.0334587
36.71.783380.035088
36.81.781780.0366831
36.91.782490.039912
371.783190.0435697
37.11.787950.0475693
37.21.788840.052243
37.31.788490.0547489
37.41.788590.0607196
37.51.789560.0620368
37.61.791420.0632507
37.71.796830.0639797
37.81.800870.0649886
37.91.804220.0673425
381.805960.072259
38.11.807150.0749111
38.21.808340.0751984
38.31.811270.0754856
38.41.81560.0757729
38.51.820140.0760601
38.61.826540.0755191
38.71.830420.0749576
38.81.834880.0744788
38.91.84170.074017
391.842960.0733185
39.11.844220.0698321
39.21.845650.0665908
39.31.847360.0640962
39.41.849070.0600667
39.51.85460.0571098
39.61.858310.0532251
39.71.860220.0507067
39.81.861030.0471109
39.91.861070.04438
401.860480.0415768
40.11.859880.0385816
40.21.859280.0352706
40.31.858690.0323656
40.41.858110.0295753
40.51.857520.0272995
40.61.856940.0265635
40.71.856340.0258589
40.81.854420.0251957
40.91.85250.0245283
411.851230.0219044
41.11.850090.0201631
41.21.848960.0167941
41.31.847740.015369
41.41.845930.0154993
41.51.844110.0156296
41.61.842420.0157418
41.71.841650.0154345
41.81.840880.0151271
41.91.840110.0147471
421.839260.0138268
42.11.838180.0129066
42.21.83710.0129001
42.31.8360.0132568
42.41.834820.0136135
42.51.833640.0139703
42.61.832450.0141828
42.71.831660.0140399
42.81.83110.0138969
42.91.830540.0137539
431.829980.013611
43.11.829420.0137531
43.21.828570.0142285
43.31.827260.014704
43.41.825940.0151794
43.51.824880.0157976
43.61.824060.0165968
43.71.823240.0173926
43.81.822410.0181723
43.91.821590.018952
441.821330.0193
44.11.821120.0195957
44.21.820910.0198914
44.31.82070.0201872
44.41.820490.020698
44.51.820280.0212986
44.61.819740.0218991
44.71.819160.0226796
44.81.818590.0237311
44.91.818010.0246613
451.818060.0245931
45.11.818660.024525
45.21.819260.0244568
45.31.819860.0243887
45.41.820460.0243787
45.51.820350.0244036
45.61.81980.0244284
45.71.819250.0244533
45.81.81870.0244781
45.91.818170.0245183
461.818110.0246448
46.11.818040.0247714
46.21.817980.0248979
46.31.817920.0250245
46.41.817850.0251511
46.51.817790.0252819
46.61.817760.0255645
46.71.817760.025847
46.81.817760.0261296
46.91.817760.0264121
471.817760.0266947
47.11.817760.0269772
47.21.817760.0272715
47.31.817760.0275699
47.41.817760.0278682
47.51.817760.0281665
47.61.817760.0284649
47.71.817770.0288547
47.81.817720.0293956
47.91.817590.0299366
481.817450.0304776
48.11.817310.0310728
48.21.817170.031712
48.31.817040.0323512
48.41.816970.0330095
48.51.817130.0337332
48.61.817290.034457
48.71.817460.0351807
48.81.817620.0364766
48.91.817810.0378702
491.81860.0388246
49.11.81940.0397643
49.21.820190.040704
49.31.820980.040953
49.41.821770.0397433
49.51.822560.0394743
49.61.823350.0392053
49.71.823660.0389362
49.81.823660.0386672
49.91.823660.0385316
501.823660.0384222
50.11.823660.0383127
50.21.823660.0382032
50.31.823660.0380937
50.41.823670.0379842
50.51.823670.0378559
50.61.823670.0377235
50.71.823670.0375912
50.81.823670.0374588
50.91.823670.0373264
511.823670.037194
51.11.823710.0370578
51.21.823950.0368101
51.31.824190.0365624
51.41.824440.0363148
51.51.824680.0360671
51.61.824920.0358194
51.71.825160.0355542
51.81.825380.0352547
51.91.825480.0349553
521.825580.0346558
52.11.825680.0343564
52.21.825780.0340327
52.31.825880.0335889
52.41.825980.0331452
52.51.826080.0327014
52.61.826180.0322576
52.71.825550.0318106
52.81.824790.0313611
52.91.824030.0309116
531.823270.0304621
53.11.822510.0300126
53.21.82170.0301378
53.31.820810.030359
53.41.819910.0305801
53.51.819020.0308013
53.61.818120.0310225
53.71.817230.0312803
53.81.816380.0315916
53.91.815560.0319028
541.814740.032214
54.11.813920.0325253
54.21.81310.0328365
54.31.812250.0331478
54.41.811390.033585
54.51.810530.0341828
54.61.809660.0347806
54.71.809110.0353784
54.81.808690.0359762
54.91.808270.0366151
551.807840.0373019
55.11.807420.0379886
55.21.8070.0386754
55.31.806580.0393308
55.41.806160.0397669
55.51.805280.0402029
55.61.804250.040639
55.71.803220.0410751
55.81.802190.0415111
55.91.801340.0422751
561.800580.0430494
56.11.799810.0438236
56.21.799050.0452367
56.31.798290.0469245
56.41.797650.0487585
56.51.797650.0504513
56.61.797650.0520851
56.71.797650.0536892
56.81.797650.0553368
56.91.797650.0570028
571.797650.0583496
57.11.797650.059533
57.21.797650.0607164
57.31.797650.0619077
57.41.797650.0631052
57.51.797650.0643027
57.61.797650.0659213
57.71.797650.0679612
57.81.797650.0706183
57.91.798850.0729721
581.800210.0750979
58.11.801580.0769934
58.21.802990.0807836
58.31.804570.0830263
58.41.806140.0847556
58.51.807720.0859972
58.61.809850.0871908
58.71.812640.0878022
58.81.814490.0884135
58.91.816290.0890249
591.818090.0896362
59.11.819870.0902476
59.21.821650.0905155
59.31.823430.0905195
59.41.825080.0905236
59.51.826710.0905276
59.61.828340.0905317
59.71.829550.0905357
59.81.830620.0905398
59.91.831690.0905438
601.832760.0905479
60.11.833860.0905277
60.21.835710.0905008
60.31.837560.0904739
60.41.839410.090447
60.51.840420.0904201
60.61.841290.0903932
60.71.842160.0903662
60.81.843030.0903393
60.91.84390.0903001
611.844410.0897952
61.11.844920.0892902
61.21.845430.0887853
61.31.845940.0882804
61.41.846450.0877755
61.51.846960.0871514
61.61.847470.0864577
61.71.847980.0857641
61.81.848680.0850705
61.91.849420.0851296
621.850170.0852063
62.11.850920.085283
62.21.851660.0853597
62.31.852410.0854363
62.41.853160.085513
62.51.853980.0855897
62.61.854790.0856664
62.71.855610.0854983
62.81.856420.0851917
62.91.857230.0848851
631.857680.0845785
63.11.858070.084272
63.21.858460.0839654
63.31.858850.0836588
63.41.859240.083024
63.51.859630.0823819
63.61.860030.0817397
63.71.860420.0811186
63.81.860810.0806891
63.91.861260.0802596
641.861990.0798301
64.11.862720.0794006
64.21.863460.0790332
64.31.864190.078931
64.41.864920.0788289
64.51.865650.0787267
64.61.8660.0786246
64.71.866290.0785225
64.81.866580.0784203
64.91.866870.0783182
651.867160.078216
65.11.867460.0781368
65.21.867750.0781614
65.31.868040.0781859
65.41.868330.0782105
65.51.868620.078235
65.61.868910.0782595
65.71.86920.0782841
65.81.869490.0783086
65.91.870180.0781893
661.870950.0777541
66.11.871730.0773188
66.21.87250.0768836
66.31.873360.0764484
66.41.874230.0760132
66.51.87510.075578
66.61.875970.075029
66.71.876830.0744175
66.81.87770.073806
66.91.878440.0731945
671.878740.072764
67.11.879050.072657
67.21.879360.0725501
67.31.879660.0724431
67.41.879970.0723361
67.51.880280.0722292
67.61.880590.0721222
67.71.880890.0720152
67.81.88120.0719083
67.91.881510.0716278
681.881870.0712543
68.11.882380.0708808
68.21.88290.0705072
68.31.883410.0701337
68.41.883920.0697602
68.51.884440.0693866
68.61.884950.0688708
68.71.885460.0683485
68.81.885960.0678261
68.91.886280.0673038
691.88660.066917
69.11.886920.066722
69.21.887240.066527
69.31.887560.0663321
69.41.887880.0661371
69.51.88820.0659421
69.61.888520.0657471
69.71.888840.0655522
69.81.889160.0653572
69.91.889470.0651593
701.889780.0649469
70.11.890090.0647346
70.21.89040.0645223
70.31.890710.06431
70.41.891020.0640976
70.51.891330.0638853
70.61.891640.063673
70.71.891950.0634606
70.81.892260.0632483
70.91.892570.0629244
711.892930.0625465
71.11.89330.0621686
71.21.893680.0617907
71.31.894050.0614128
71.41.894430.0610349
71.51.89480.060657
71.61.895180.0601572
71.71.895560.0594506
71.81.895930.058744
71.91.896310.0580374
721.896680.0573308
72.11.897080.0565918
72.21.897490.0558054
72.31.89790.0550189
72.41.898310.0542325
72.51.898720.053446
72.61.899130.0526451
72.71.899540.051819
72.81.899950.0509929
72.91.900360.0501669
731.900550.0496263
73.11.900190.0493295
73.21.899840.0490327
73.31.899480.0487359
73.41.899130.0484391
73.51.898770.0481423
73.61.898420.047838
73.71.898060.0474654
73.81.897710.0470928
73.91.897350.0467201
741.897190.0463475
74.11.897060.0459749
74.21.896930.0456022
74.31.89680.0452296
74.41.896670.0448199
74.51.896540.0442742
74.61.896410.0437285
74.71.896280.0431828
74.81.896150.0426371
74.91.896040.0420914
751.896040.0415098
75.11.896040.0409221
75.21.896040.0403344
75.31.896040.0397467
75.41.896040.039159
75.51.896040.0387442
75.61.896040.0385717
75.71.896040.0383992
75.81.896040.0382267
75.91.896040.0380541
761.896040.0378816
76.11.896040.0377091
76.21.896040.0375366
76.31.896040.0373641
76.41.896020.0371916
76.51.895760.0370191
76.61.89550.0368306
76.71.895240.0366109
76.81.894980.0363912
76.91.894730.0361715
771.894470.0359517
77.11.894210.035732
77.21.893950.0355123
77.31.893690.0352926
77.41.893430.0350728
77.51.893180.0348531
77.61.892920.0346334
77.71.892690.0344137
77.81.892750.0340945
77.91.892810.0337671
781.892880.0334398
78.11.892940.0331125
78.21.8930.0327851
78.31.893060.0324578
78.41.893130.0321305
78.51.893190.0318031
78.61.893250.0315045
78.71.893320.031398
78.81.893380.0312914
78.91.893440.0311849
791.89350.0310783
79.11.893460.0309718
79.21.893360.0308652
79.31.893260.0307587
79.41.893160.0306521
79.51.893060.0305456
79.61.892960.030439
79.71.892860.0303324
79.81.892760.0302259
79.91.892660.0301193
801.892560.0300184
80.11.892460.0299214
80.21.892360.0298244
80.31.892260.0297274
80.41.892160.0296304
80.51.892060.0295334
80.61.891960.0294364
80.71.891860.0293394
80.81.891770.0292424
80.91.891670.0291454
811.891580.0290484
81.11.891480.0289514
81.21.891380.0288544
81.31.891290.0287574
81.41.891190.0286604
81.51.89110.0285634
81.61.8910.0284664
81.71.89090.0283694
81.81.890810.0282723
81.91.890710.02815
821.890620.0280207
82.11.890520.0278914
82.21.890430.0277621
82.31.890330.0276328
82.41.890230.0275035
82.51.890160.0273742
82.61.890110.0272449
82.71.890060.0271156
82.81.890020.0269863
82.91.889970.026857
831.889930.0267277
83.11.889880.0265984
83.21.889840.0264691
83.31.889790.0263398
83.41.889740.0262105
83.51.88970.0260812
83.61.889650.0259519
83.71.889610.0258226
83.81.889560.0256936
83.91.889520.0255672
841.889470.0254408
84.11.889420.0253144
84.21.889380.025188
84.31.88930.0250616
84.41.888950.0249352
84.51.888590.0248088
84.61.888240.0246824
84.71.887880.024556
84.81.887530.0244296
84.91.887170.0243032
851.886810.0241768
85.11.886460.0240505
85.21.88610.0239241
85.31.886030.0237977
85.41.886120.0236713
85.51.886210.0235449
85.61.886290.0234185
85.71.886380.0233095
85.81.886460.0232994
85.91.886550.0232893
861.886640.0232792
86.11.886720.023269
86.21.886810.0232589
86.31.88690.0232488
86.41.886980.0232387
86.51.887070.0232286
86.61.887150.0232185
86.71.887240.0232084
86.81.887330.0231983
86.91.887410.0231881
871.88750.023178
87.11.887590.0231679
87.21.887640.0231578
87.31.887390.0231477
87.41.887140.0231376
87.51.886890.0231275
87.61.886640.0231174
87.71.88640.023133
87.81.886150.0231916
87.91.88590.0232502
881.885650.0233089
88.11.885410.0233675
88.21.885160.0234261
88.31.884910.0234847
88.41.884660.0235433
88.51.884410.0236019
88.61.884170.0236605
88.71.883920.0237192
88.81.8840.0237778
88.91.884130.0238364
891.884270.023895
89.11.88440.0239536
89.21.884530.0240122
89.31.884660.0240708
89.41.88480.0241294
89.51.884930.0241881
89.61.885060.0242467
89.71.88520.0243053
89.81.885330.0243639
89.91.885460.0244225
901.88560.0244413
90.11.885730.0244469
90.21.885860.0244525
90.31.885990.024458
90.41.886060.0244636
90.51.886130.0244692
90.61.88620.0244748
90.71.886280.0244803
90.81.886350.0244859
90.91.886420.0244915
911.886490.0244971
91.11.886560.0245026
91.21.886630.0245082
91.31.88670.0245138
91.41.886770.0245193
91.51.886840.0245249
91.61.886910.0245305
91.71.886980.0245361
91.81.887050.0245416
91.91.887120.0245472
921.887190.0245528
92.11.887270.0245584
92.21.887340.0245639
92.31.887410.0245695
92.41.887480.02445
92.51.887550.0243187
92.61.887620.0241874
92.71.887710.0240561
92.81.887870.0239247
92.91.888030.0237934
931.888190.0236621
93.11.888350.0235308
93.21.88850.0233995
93.31.888660.0232682
93.41.888820.0231369
93.51.888980.0230055
93.61.889140.0228742
93.71.88930.0227429
93.81.889460.0226116
93.91.889620.0224803
941.889780.022349
94.11.889940.0222177
94.21.890090.0220806
94.31.890250.0219144
94.41.890410.0217482
94.51.890570.021582
94.61.890730.0214158
94.71.890890.0212496
94.81.891030.0210835
94.91.890970.0209173
951.89090.0207511
95.11.890830.0205849
95.21.890760.0204187
95.31.890690.0202525
95.41.890620.0200863
95.51.890550.0199201
95.61.890480.0197539
95.71.890410.0195877
95.81.890340.0194215
95.91.890270.0192553
961.89020.0190891
96.11.890130.0189229
96.21.890070.0187928
96.31.890.018684
96.41.889930.0185751
96.51.889860.0184663
96.61.889790.0183575
96.71.889720.0182487
96.81.889650.0181399
96.91.889580.018031
971.889510.0179222
97.11.889440.0178134
97.21.889370.0177046
97.31.889320.0175958
97.41.889260.017487
97.51.88920.0173781
97.61.889150.0172693
97.71.889090.0171605
97.81.889030.0170517
97.91.888980.0169429
981.888920.016834
98.11.888870.0167252
98.21.888810.0166164
98.31.888750.0165076
98.41.88870.0163988
98.51.888640.0162899
98.61.888590.0161811
98.71.888530.0160723
98.81.888470.0159635
98.91.888420.0158557
991.888360.0157505
99.11.888310.0156452
99.21.888250.01554
99.31.888190.0154347
99.41.888140.0153295
99.51.888080.0152242
99.61.888030.015119
99.71.887970.0150137
99.81.887910.0149084
99.91.887860.0148032
1001.88780.0146979
1101.88150.0129277
1201.879390.0115062
1301.878260.0108498
1401.877040.0120242
1501.875130.0120128
1601.876960.012977
1701.876580.0127346
1801.87560.0145151
1901.876030.014467
2001.87360.0145241
2101.872920.0162
2201.873390.0183616
2301.872920.0207939
2401.872540.0248492
2501.872270.0281176
2601.873460.0306559
2701.874660.032162
2801.87550.0331569
2901.876870.0344395
3001.879060.0359926
3101.880770.0375456
3201.881920.0397121
3301.882910.0418918
3401.883450.0440714
3501.8840.0450228
3601.884250.0459055
3701.88330.0467882
3801.881190.0476829
3901.877470.0486123
4001.873180.0495418
4101.870940.0504713
4201.869250.0514008
4301.868480.0543671
4401.868480.0583416
4501.868480.0623161
4601.868480.0662906
4701.868850.0702651
4801.870850
4901.872840

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
—