Optical constants

Refractive index of MgO (Magnesium monoxide)

Stephens and Malitson 1952: n 0.36–5.4 µm

Data: formula 4
Range: 0.36–5.4 µm
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.73754
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 3.01903
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: 53.229
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.0713779 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.77948
Group velocity dispersion: 128.222 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -699.519 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

# MgO (Magnesium monoxide): Stephens and Malitson 1952: n 0.36–5.4 µm
mgo = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "MgO", "Stephens", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(mgo.range_nm)  # (360, 5400) nm
eps = mgo.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_0e24ca9b3031/lightsmith"
mgo = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(mgo.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (mgo/stephens-malitson-1952).

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

Dispersion formula

RefractiveIndex.INFO (formula 4), λ in µm

n^{2} = 2.956362 + \frac{0.0219577 λ^{0.0}}{λ^{2} - {0.01428322}^{1.0}} - 0.01062387 λ^{2.0} - 2.04968 \times 10^{-5} λ^{4.0}

Valid from 0.36 to 5.4 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	2.956362
C2	0.0219577
C3	0.0
C4	0.01428322
C5	1.0
C6	0.0
C7	0.0
C8	0.0
C9	1.0
C10	-0.01062387
C11	2.0
C12	-2.04968e-05
C13	4.0

Comments and conditions

23.3 °C. Formula for entire transmission range; use the other formula for more accurate index values in the visible.

References

R. E. Stephens and I. H. Malitson. Index of refraction of magnesium oxide. J. Res. Natl. Bur. Stand. 49 249-252 (1952)

doi:10.6028/jres.049.025 Index of refraction of magnesium oxide, Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards (1952)

Cite

R.E. Stephens and I.H. Malitson. Index of refraction of magnesium oxide. Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards, 49, 249 (1952), doi:10.6028/jres.049.025; 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

MgO (Magnesium monoxide), Stephens and Malitson 1952: n 0.36–5.4 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.36	1.773527
0.362452	1.772709
0.36492	1.771905
0.367405	1.771113
0.369907	1.770334
0.372426	1.769568
0.374963	1.768814
0.377516	1.768072
0.380087	1.767341
0.382676	1.766622
0.385282	1.765914
0.387906	1.765218
0.390547	1.764532
0.393207	1.763857
0.395885	1.763193
0.398581	1.762539
0.401295	1.761895
0.404028	1.76126
0.40678	1.760636
0.40955	1.760021
0.412339	1.759416
0.415147	1.75882
0.417974	1.758233
0.420821	1.757655
0.423687	1.757085
0.426572	1.756524
0.429477	1.755972
0.432402	1.755428
0.435347	1.754892
0.438311	1.754364
0.441296	1.753844
0.444302	1.753332
0.447328	1.752827
0.450374	1.75233
0.453441	1.75184
0.456529	1.751357
0.459638	1.750882
0.462768	1.750413
0.46592	1.749951
0.469093	1.749496
0.472287	1.749047
0.475504	1.748605
0.478742	1.74817
0.482002	1.74774
0.485285	1.747317
0.48859	1.7469
0.491917	1.746489
0.495267	1.746083
0.49864	1.745684
0.502036	1.74529
0.505455	1.744901
0.508897	1.744519
0.512363	1.744141
0.515852	1.743769
0.519365	1.743402
0.522902	1.74304
0.526463	1.742683
0.530048	1.742331
0.533658	1.741984
0.537292	1.741641
0.540951	1.741304
0.544635	1.74097
0.548345	1.740642
0.552079	1.740318
0.555839	1.739998
0.559624	1.739683
0.563435	1.739371
0.567272	1.739064
0.571135	1.738761
0.575025	1.738463
0.578941	1.738168
0.582884	1.737876
0.586853	1.737589
0.59085	1.737306
0.594874	1.737026
0.598925	1.73675
0.603004	1.736477
0.60711	1.736208
0.611245	1.735942
0.615407	1.73568
0.619598	1.735421
0.623818	1.735166
0.628066	1.734913
0.632344	1.734664
0.63665	1.734418
0.640986	1.734175
0.645351	1.733934
0.649746	1.733697
0.654171	1.733463
0.658626	1.733232
0.663111	1.733003
0.667627	1.732777
0.672174	1.732554
0.676751	1.732333
0.68136	1.732115
0.686	1.7319
0.690672	1.731687
0.695376	1.731477
0.700111	1.731269
0.704879	1.731063
0.709679	1.73086
0.714512	1.730659
0.719378	1.73046
0.724278	1.730264
0.72921	1.730069
0.734176	1.729877
0.739176	1.729687
0.74421	1.729499
0.749278	1.729313
0.754381	1.729129
0.759518	1.728947
0.764691	1.728766
0.769898	1.728588
0.775141	1.728411
0.78042	1.728237
0.785735	1.728064
0.791086	1.727892
0.796474	1.727722
0.801898	1.727554
0.807359	1.727388
0.812857	1.727223
0.818393	1.72706
0.823966	1.726898
0.829577	1.726738
0.835227	1.726579
0.840915	1.726421
0.846642	1.726265
0.852408	1.726111
0.858213	1.725957
0.864057	1.725805
0.869942	1.725654
0.875866	1.725504
0.881831	1.725356
0.887836	1.725209
0.893883	1.725063
0.89997	1.724918
0.906099	1.724774
0.91227	1.724631
0.918483	1.724489
0.924738	1.724348
0.931035	1.724208
0.937376	1.724069
0.943759	1.723931
0.950187	1.723794
0.956658	1.723657
0.963173	1.723522
0.969732	1.723387
0.976336	1.723253
0.982985	1.72312
0.989679	1.722988
0.996419	1.722856
1.0032	1.722725
1.01004	1.722594
1.01692	1.722465
1.02384	1.722335
1.03081	1.722207
1.03783	1.722079
1.0449	1.721951
1.05202	1.721824
1.05918	1.721698
1.06639	1.721571
1.07366	1.721446
1.08097	1.72132
1.08833	1.721196
1.09574	1.721071
1.1032	1.720947
1.11072	1.720823
1.11828	1.720699
1.1259	1.720576
1.13356	1.720453
1.14128	1.72033
1.14906	1.720207
1.15688	1.720084
1.16476	1.719962
1.17269	1.719839
1.18068	1.719717
1.18872	1.719595
1.19682	1.719473
1.20497	1.719351
1.21317	1.719229
1.22143	1.719106
1.22975	1.718984
1.23813	1.718862
1.24656	1.71874
1.25505	1.718617
1.2636	1.718494
1.2722	1.718372
1.28086	1.718249
1.28959	1.718125
1.29837	1.718002
1.30721	1.717878
1.31611	1.717754
1.32508	1.71763
1.3341	1.717506
1.34319	1.717381
1.35233	1.717255
1.36154	1.717129
1.37082	1.717003
1.38015	1.716877
1.38955	1.71675
1.39901	1.716622
1.40854	1.716494
1.41813	1.716365
1.42779	1.716236
1.43751	1.716106
1.4473	1.715976
1.45716	1.715845
1.46708	1.715713
1.47708	1.71558
1.48713	1.715447
1.49726	1.715313
1.50746	1.715179
1.51773	1.715043
1.52806	1.714907
1.53847	1.71477
1.54894	1.714632
1.55949	1.714493
1.57011	1.714353
1.58081	1.714212
1.59157	1.71407
1.60241	1.713927
1.61332	1.713784
1.62431	1.713639
1.63537	1.713493
1.64651	1.713345
1.65772	1.713197
1.66901	1.713048
1.68038	1.712897
1.69182	1.712745
1.70334	1.712592
1.71494	1.712437
1.72662	1.712282
1.73838	1.712125
1.75022	1.711966
1.76214	1.711806
1.77414	1.711645
1.78622	1.711482
1.79839	1.711317
1.81063	1.711152
1.82296	1.710984
1.83538	1.710815
1.84788	1.710644
1.86046	1.710472
1.87313	1.710298
1.88589	1.710122
1.89873	1.709944
1.91166	1.709765
1.92468	1.709584
1.93779	1.7094
1.95099	1.709215
1.96427	1.709028
1.97765	1.708839
1.99112	1.708648
2.00468	1.708455
2.01833	1.70826
2.03208	1.708063
2.04591	1.707863
2.05985	1.707662
2.07387	1.707458
2.088	1.707252
2.10222	1.707043
2.11653	1.706832
2.13095	1.706619
2.14546	1.706403
2.16007	1.706185
2.17478	1.705964
2.18959	1.70574
2.2045	1.705514
2.21952	1.705286
2.23463	1.705054
2.24985	1.70482
2.26517	1.704583
2.2806	1.704343
2.29613	1.7041
2.31177	1.703854
2.32751	1.703605
2.34336	1.703354
2.35932	1.703099
2.37539	1.702841
2.39156	1.702579
2.40785	1.702315
2.42425	1.702047
2.44076	1.701775
2.45738	1.701501
2.47412	1.701223
2.49097	1.700941
2.50793	1.700655
2.52501	1.700367
2.5422	1.700074
2.55952	1.699777
2.57695	1.699477
2.5945	1.699173
2.61217	1.698865
2.62996	1.698553
2.64787	1.698236
2.6659	1.697916
2.68405	1.697591
2.70233	1.697262
2.72074	1.696929
2.73926	1.696592
2.75792	1.696249
2.7767	1.695903
2.79561	1.695551
2.81465	1.695195
2.83382	1.694835
2.85312	1.694469
2.87255	1.694098
2.89211	1.693723
2.91181	1.693342
2.93164	1.692956
2.9516	1.692565
2.9717	1.692169
2.99194	1.691767
3.01232	1.691359
3.03283	1.690946
3.05348	1.690528
3.07428	1.690103
3.09521	1.689673
3.11629	1.689237
3.13752	1.688795
3.15888	1.688347
3.1804	1.687892
3.20205	1.687431
3.22386	1.686964
3.24582	1.68649
3.26792	1.686009
3.29018	1.685522
3.31258	1.685028
3.33514	1.684527
3.35786	1.684019
3.38072	1.683504
3.40375	1.682981
3.42693	1.682451
3.45026	1.681914
3.47376	1.681369
3.49742	1.680816
3.52124	1.680255
3.54522	1.679686
3.56936	1.67911
3.59367	1.678524
3.61814	1.677931
3.64278	1.677329
3.66759	1.676718
3.69257	1.676099
3.71771	1.67547
3.74303	1.674833
3.76852	1.674186
3.79419	1.67353
3.82003	1.672864
3.84604	1.672189
3.87223	1.671503
3.8986	1.670808
3.92515	1.670103
3.95188	1.669387
3.9788	1.668661
4.00589	1.667924
4.03318	1.667176
4.06064	1.666417
4.0883	1.665648
4.11614	1.664866
4.14417	1.664073
4.17239	1.663269
4.20081	1.662452
4.22941	1.661624
4.25822	1.660782
4.28722	1.659929
4.31641	1.659063
4.34581	1.658183
4.3754	1.657291
4.4052	1.656385
4.4352	1.655465
4.46541	1.654532
4.49582	1.653585
4.52643	1.652623
4.55726	1.651646
4.5883	1.650655
4.61954	1.649649
4.651	1.648628
4.68268	1.64759
4.71457	1.646538
4.74667	1.645469
4.779	1.644383
4.81155	1.643281
4.84431	1.642162
4.8773	1.641026
4.91052	1.639872
4.94396	1.6387
4.97763	1.63751
5.01153	1.636302
5.04566	1.635075
5.08002	1.633829
5.11462	1.632563
5.14945	1.631278
5.18452	1.629972
5.21982	1.628646
5.25537	1.627299
5.29116	1.625931
5.32719	1.624541
5.36347	1.623129
5.4	1.621695

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: —

MgO (Magnesium monoxide): all datasets

About MgO (Magnesium monoxide)

Magnesium oxide (MgO) is a white solid that exhibits refractory and insulating properties. It's commonly used in the ceramics industry and for producing crucibles. In thin film form, MgO serves as an excellent substrate for the growth of high-quality epitaxial films and is transparent in the ultraviolet to infrared regions, making it suitable for various optical applications. Mineral: Periclase

More about MgO (Magnesium monoxide) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/main/MgO/nk/Stephens.yml
ID: ds_0e24ca9b3031
API: /v1/datasets/ds_0e24ca9b3031

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