Optical constants

Refractive index of (C₂H₄O)_n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA)

Schnepf et al. 2017: n 0.3–1.5 µm

Data: formula 5
Range: 0.3–1.5 µm
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.47926
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 2.18821
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: 37.74
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.0655551 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.51778
Group velocity dispersion: 120.246 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -656.005 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

# (C2H4O)n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA): Schnepf et al. 2017: n 0.3–1.5 µm
mat = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("organic", "polyvinyl_alcohol", "Schnepf", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(mat.range_nm)  # (300, 1500) nm
eps = mat.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_fd5f4a5a8c1d/lightsmith"
mat = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(mat.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (polyvinyl-alcohol/schnepf-2017).

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

Cauchy (formula 5), λ in µm

n = 1.46 + 0.00665 λ^{- 2.0}

Valid from 0.3 to 1.5 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	1.46
C2	0.00665
C3	-2.0

Comments and conditions

Isotropic PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) thin film on silicon substrate.
k = 0.0050±0.0004

Conditions

substrate: Si

References

M. J. Schnepf, M. Mayer, C. Kuttner, M. Tebbe, D. Wolf, M. Dulle, T. Altantzis, P. Formanek, S. Förster, S. Bals, T. A. F. König, A. Fery. Nanorattles with tailored electric field enhancement. Nanoscale 9, 9376-9385 (2017) - see Supplementary materials

doi:10.1039/c7nr02952g Nanorattles with tailored electric field enhancement, Nanoscale (2017)

Cite

Max J. Schnepf et al.. Nanorattles with tailored electric field enhancement. Nanoscale, 9, 9376-9385 (2017), doi:10.1039/c7nr02952g; 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

(C2H4O)n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA), Schnepf et al. 2017: n 0.3–1.5 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.3	1.533889
0.301213	1.533295
0.30243	1.532706
0.303652	1.532122
0.30488	1.531543
0.306112	1.530968
0.307349	1.530398
0.308591	1.529832
0.309839	1.529271
0.311091	1.528714
0.312348	1.528162
0.313611	1.527614
0.314878	1.527071
0.316151	1.526532
0.317429	1.525998
0.318712	1.525467
0.32	1.524941
0.321293	1.52442
0.322592	1.523902
0.323896	1.523389
0.325205	1.522879
0.32652	1.522374
0.327839	1.521873
0.329164	1.521376
0.330495	1.520883
0.331831	1.520393
0.333172	1.519908
0.334518	1.519427
0.33587	1.518949
0.337228	1.518476
0.338591	1.518006
0.33996	1.51754
0.341334	1.517077
0.342713	1.516619
0.344098	1.516164
0.345489	1.515713
0.346886	1.515265
0.348288	1.514821
0.349695	1.51438
0.351109	1.513943
0.352528	1.51351
0.353953	1.51308
0.355383	1.512654
0.35682	1.51223
0.358262	1.511811
0.35971	1.511395
0.361164	1.510982
0.362624	1.510572
0.364089	1.510166
0.365561	1.509763
0.367038	1.509363
0.368522	1.508966
0.370011	1.508573
0.371507	1.508182
0.373008	1.507795
0.374516	1.507411
0.37603	1.50703
0.37755	1.506652
0.379076	1.506277
0.380608	1.505906
0.382146	1.505537
0.383691	1.505171
0.385242	1.504808
0.386799	1.504448
0.388362	1.504091
0.389932	1.503737
0.391508	1.503385
0.39309	1.503037
0.394679	1.502691
0.396274	1.502348
0.397876	1.502007
0.399484	1.50167
0.401099	1.501335
0.40272	1.501003
0.404348	1.500674
0.405982	1.500347
0.407623	1.500023
0.40927	1.499701
0.410924	1.499382
0.412585	1.499066
0.414253	1.498752
0.415927	1.49844
0.417608	1.498131
0.419296	1.497825
0.420991	1.497521
0.422693	1.49722
0.424401	1.496921
0.426116	1.496624
0.427839	1.49633
0.429568	1.496038
0.431304	1.495748
0.433047	1.495461
0.434798	1.495176
0.436555	1.494893
0.43832	1.494613
0.440091	1.494335
0.44187	1.494059
0.443656	1.493785
0.445449	1.493514
0.44725	1.493245
0.449057	1.492978
0.450872	1.492713
0.452695	1.49245
0.454524	1.492189
0.456361	1.49193
0.458206	1.491674
0.460058	1.491419
0.461917	1.491167
0.463784	1.490916
0.465659	1.490668
0.467541	1.490422
0.469431	1.490177
0.471328	1.489935
0.473233	1.489694
0.475146	1.489456
0.477066	1.489219
0.478995	1.488984
0.480931	1.488751
0.482874	1.48852
0.484826	1.488291
0.486786	1.488064
0.488753	1.487838
0.490729	1.487615
0.492712	1.487393
0.494704	1.487173
0.496703	1.486954
0.498711	1.486738
0.500726	1.486523
0.50275	1.48631
0.504782	1.486098
0.506822	1.485889
0.508871	1.485681
0.510928	1.485474
0.512993	1.48527
0.515066	1.485067
0.517148	1.484865
0.519238	1.484665
0.521337	1.484467
0.523444	1.484271
0.52556	1.484076
0.527684	1.483882
0.529817	1.48369
0.531958	1.4835
0.534108	1.483311
0.536267	1.483124
0.538435	1.482938
0.540611	1.482754
0.542796	1.482571
0.54499	1.48239
0.547192	1.48221
0.549404	1.482031
0.551625	1.481854
0.553854	1.481679
0.556093	1.481504
0.558341	1.481332
0.560597	1.48116
0.562863	1.48099
0.565138	1.480822
0.567422	1.480654
0.569716	1.480488
0.572018	1.480324
0.57433	1.48016
0.576652	1.479998
0.578982	1.479838
0.581323	1.479678
0.583672	1.47952
0.586031	1.479363
0.5884	1.479208
0.590778	1.479053
0.593166	1.4789
0.595563	1.478748
0.597971	1.478598
0.600387	1.478448
0.602814	1.4783
0.605251	1.478153
0.607697	1.478007
0.610153	1.477863
0.612619	1.477719
0.615095	1.477577
0.617581	1.477435
0.620078	1.477295
0.622584	1.477156
0.6251	1.477019
0.627627	1.476882
0.630164	1.476746
0.632711	1.476612
0.635268	1.476478
0.637836	1.476346
0.640414	1.476214
0.643002	1.476084
0.645601	1.475955
0.64821	1.475827
0.65083	1.4757
0.653461	1.475573
0.656102	1.475448
0.658754	1.475324
0.661416	1.475201
0.66409	1.475079
0.666774	1.474958
0.669469	1.474838
0.672175	1.474718
0.674892	1.4746
0.677619	1.474483
0.680358	1.474366
0.683108	1.474251
0.685869	1.474136
0.688641	1.474023
0.691425	1.47391
0.694219	1.473798
0.697025	1.473688
0.699842	1.473578
0.702671	1.473468
0.705511	1.47336
0.708363	1.473253
0.711226	1.473146
0.7141	1.473041
0.716987	1.472936
0.719885	1.472832
0.722794	1.472729
0.725716	1.472627
0.728649	1.472525
0.731594	1.472425
0.734551	1.472325
0.73752	1.472226
0.740501	1.472127
0.743494	1.47203
0.746499	1.471933
0.749516	1.471837
0.752545	1.471742
0.755587	1.471648
0.758641	1.471554
0.761707	1.471462
0.764786	1.47137
0.767877	1.471278
0.770981	1.471188
0.774097	1.471098
0.777226	1.471008
0.780367	1.47092
0.783521	1.470832
0.786688	1.470745
0.789868	1.470659
0.79306	1.470573
0.796266	1.470488
0.799484	1.470404
0.802715	1.47032
0.80596	1.470238
0.809217	1.470155
0.812488	1.470074
0.815772	1.469993
0.819069	1.469912
0.82238	1.469833
0.825704	1.469754
0.829041	1.469675
0.832392	1.469598
0.835756	1.469521
0.839134	1.469444
0.842526	1.469368
0.845931	1.469293
0.84935	1.469218
0.852783	1.469144
0.85623	1.469071
0.859691	1.468998
0.863165	1.468926
0.866654	1.468854
0.870157	1.468783
0.873674	1.468712
0.877205	1.468642
0.880751	1.468573
0.884311	1.468504
0.887885	1.468435
0.891474	1.468368
0.895077	1.4683
0.898695	1.468234
0.902327	1.468168
0.905974	1.468102
0.909636	1.468037
0.913312	1.467972
0.917004	1.467908
0.92071	1.467845
0.924431	1.467782
0.928168	1.467719
0.931919	1.467657
0.935686	1.467596
0.939468	1.467535
0.943265	1.467474
0.947078	1.467414
0.950905	1.467354
0.954749	1.467295
0.958608	1.467237
0.962482	1.467179
0.966373	1.467121
0.970278	1.467064
0.9742	1.467007
0.978138	1.466951
0.982091	1.466895
0.986061	1.466839
0.990046	1.466784
0.994048	1.46673
0.998065	1.466676
1.0021	1.466622
1.00615	1.466569
1.01022	1.466516
1.0143	1.466464
1.0184	1.466412
1.02252	1.46636
1.02665	1.466309
1.0308	1.466259
1.03496	1.466208
1.03915	1.466158
1.04335	1.466109
1.04756	1.46606
1.0518	1.466011
1.05605	1.465963
1.06032	1.465915
1.0646	1.465867
1.06891	1.46582
1.07323	1.465773
1.07756	1.465727
1.08192	1.465681
1.08629	1.465635
1.09068	1.46559
1.09509	1.465545
1.09952	1.465501
1.10396	1.465456
1.10842	1.465413
1.1129	1.465369
1.1174	1.465326
1.12192	1.465283
1.12645	1.465241
1.13101	1.465199
1.13558	1.465157
1.14017	1.465115
1.14478	1.465074
1.1494	1.465034
1.15405	1.464993
1.15871	1.464953
1.1634	1.464913
1.1681	1.464874
1.17282	1.464835
1.17756	1.464796
1.18232	1.464757
1.1871	1.464719
1.1919	1.464681
1.19671	1.464643
1.20155	1.464606
1.20641	1.464569
1.21128	1.464532
1.21618	1.464496
1.22109	1.46446
1.22603	1.464424
1.23099	1.464388
1.23596	1.464353
1.24096	1.464318
1.24597	1.464284
1.25101	1.464249
1.25606	1.464215
1.26114	1.464181
1.26624	1.464148
1.27136	1.464114
1.27649	1.464081
1.28165	1.464048
1.28683	1.464016
1.29204	1.463984
1.29726	1.463952
1.3025	1.46392
1.30777	1.463888
1.31305	1.463857
1.31836	1.463826
1.32369	1.463795
1.32904	1.463765
1.33441	1.463735
1.3398	1.463705
1.34522	1.463675
1.35065	1.463645
1.35611	1.463616
1.3616	1.463587
1.3671	1.463558
1.37262	1.46353
1.37817	1.463501
1.38374	1.463473
1.38933	1.463445
1.39495	1.463417
1.40059	1.46339
1.40625	1.463363
1.41193	1.463336
1.41764	1.463309
1.42337	1.463282
1.42912	1.463256
1.4349	1.46323
1.4407	1.463204
1.44652	1.463178
1.45237	1.463153
1.45824	1.463127
1.46413	1.463102
1.47005	1.463077
1.47599	1.463052
1.48196	1.463028
1.48795	1.463004
1.49396	1.462979
1.5	1.462956

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: —

(C₂H₄O)_n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA): all datasets

About (C2H4O)n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA)

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, (C₂H₄O)_n) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer that exhibits excellent film forming, emulsifying, and adhesive properties. Due to its hydrophilic nature and high biocompatibility, it is frequently employed in a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery systems and wound care products. In the realm of optics, PVA is commonly used as a base material for hydrogel contact lenses due to its comfort and permeability to oxygen. It is also utilized in the creation of polarizing films for LCDs. PVA's unique structural characteristics, which include a mix of both crystalline and amorphous regions, can influence its optical properties. This polymer is also known for its barrier properties against gases, making it useful in packaging. One of the interesting attributes of PVA is its ability to form hydrogels when treated appropriately, expanding its range of potential applications. While it possesses many advantageous qualities, it is important to note that PVA is sensitive to moisture, which can alter its physical properties.

Polyvinyl alcohol - Wikipedia

More about (C2H4O)n (Polyvinyl alcohol, PVA) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/organic/(C2H4O)n - polyvinyl alcohol/nk/Schnepf.yml
ID: ds_fd5f4a5a8c1d
API: /v1/datasets/ds_fd5f4a5a8c1d

Plot