Optical constants

Refractive index of SF₆ (Sulphur hexafluoride)

Vukovic et al. 1996: n 0.6–1.3 µm

Data: formula 5
Range: 0.6–1.3 µm
Temperature: 288 K
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.00072
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 1.00144
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: —
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -1.45134e-05 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.00073
Group velocity dispersion: 0.0601162 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -0.145235 ps/(nm·km)
Photon energy: 1.40412 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

# SF6 (Sulphur hexafluoride): Vukovic et al. 1996: n 0.6–1.3 µm
sf6 = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "SF6", "Vukovic", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(sf6.range_nm)  # (600, 1300) nm
eps = sf6.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_d7012244f999/lightsmith"
sf6 = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(sf6.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (sf6/vukovic-1996).

# ... load sf6 as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
    particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=sf6)],
    medium_index=1.0,
    wavelengths=ls.WavelengthRange(start_nm=600, 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 = 1.00071517 + 4.996 \times 10^{-6} λ^{- 2.0}

Valid from 0.6 to 1.3 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	1.00071517
C2	4.996e-06
C3	-2.0

Comments and conditions

Dispersion formula is based on refraction measurement at only two wavelengths: 0.633 µm and 1.3 µm

Conditions

temperature: 288 K
pressure: 101325

References

1) D. Vukovic, G. A. Woolsey, G. B. Scelsi. Refractivities of SF₆ and SFO₂ at wavelengths of 632.99 and 1300 nm. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 29, 634–637 (1996)
2) M. Sneep and W. Ubachs. Direct measurement of the Rayleigh scattering cross section in various gases. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 92, 293-310 (2005)
* Ref. 2 provides a dispersion formula based on data from Ref. 1

doi:10.1088/0022-3727/29/3/023 Refractivities of and at wavelengths of 632.99 and 1300 nm, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics (1996)
doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2004.07.025 Direct measurement of the Rayleigh scattering cross section in various gases, Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer (2005)

Cite

D Vukovic, G A Woolsey and G B Scelsi. Refractivities of and at wavelengths of 632.99 and 1300 nm. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 29, 634-637 (1996), doi:10.1088/0022-3727/29/3/023; Maarten Sneep and Wim Ubachs. Direct measurement of the Rayleigh scattering cross section in various gases. Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, 92, 293-310 (2005), doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2004.07.025; 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

SF6 (Sulphur hexafluoride), Vukovic et al. 1996: n 0.6–1.3 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.6	1.000729
0.601164	1.000729
0.60233	1.000729
0.603498	1.000729
0.604669	1.000729
0.605842	1.000729
0.607017	1.000729
0.608194	1.000729
0.609374	1.000729
0.610556	1.000729
0.61174	1.000729
0.612927	1.000728
0.614116	1.000728
0.615307	1.000728
0.6165	1.000728
0.617696	1.000728
0.618894	1.000728
0.620095	1.000728
0.621298	1.000728
0.622503	1.000728
0.62371	1.000728
0.62492	1.000728
0.626132	1.000728
0.627347	1.000728
0.628564	1.000728
0.629783	1.000728
0.631004	1.000728
0.632228	1.000728
0.633455	1.000728
0.634683	1.000728
0.635915	1.000728
0.637148	1.000727
0.638384	1.000727
0.639622	1.000727
0.640863	1.000727
0.642106	1.000727
0.643351	1.000727
0.644599	1.000727
0.64585	1.000727
0.647102	1.000727
0.648358	1.000727
0.649615	1.000727
0.650875	1.000727
0.652138	1.000727
0.653403	1.000727
0.65467	1.000727
0.65594	1.000727
0.657212	1.000727
0.658487	1.000727
0.659764	1.000727
0.661044	1.000727
0.662326	1.000727
0.663611	1.000727
0.664898	1.000726
0.666188	1.000726
0.66748	1.000726
0.668775	1.000726
0.670072	1.000726
0.671372	1.000726
0.672674	1.000726
0.673979	1.000726
0.675286	1.000726
0.676596	1.000726
0.677908	1.000726
0.679223	1.000726
0.680541	1.000726
0.681861	1.000726
0.683184	1.000726
0.684509	1.000726
0.685836	1.000726
0.687167	1.000726
0.6885	1.000726
0.689835	1.000726
0.691173	1.000726
0.692514	1.000726
0.693857	1.000726
0.695203	1.000726
0.696552	1.000725
0.697903	1.000725
0.699256	1.000725
0.700613	1.000725
0.701972	1.000725
0.703333	1.000725
0.704698	1.000725
0.706064	1.000725
0.707434	1.000725
0.708806	1.000725
0.710181	1.000725
0.711559	1.000725
0.712939	1.000725
0.714322	1.000725
0.715707	1.000725
0.717096	1.000725
0.718486	1.000725
0.71988	1.000725
0.721276	1.000725
0.722676	1.000725
0.724077	1.000725
0.725482	1.000725
0.726889	1.000725
0.728299	1.000725
0.729712	1.000725
0.731127	1.000725
0.732545	1.000724
0.733966	1.000724
0.73539	1.000724
0.736816	1.000724
0.738245	1.000724
0.739677	1.000724
0.741112	1.000724
0.74255	1.000724
0.74399	1.000724
0.745433	1.000724
0.746879	1.000724
0.748328	1.000724
0.749779	1.000724
0.751234	1.000724
0.752691	1.000724
0.754151	1.000724
0.755614	1.000724
0.757079	1.000724
0.758548	1.000724
0.760019	1.000724
0.761493	1.000724
0.76297	1.000724
0.76445	1.000724
0.765933	1.000724
0.767419	1.000724
0.768907	1.000724
0.770399	1.000724
0.771893	1.000724
0.77339	1.000724
0.774891	1.000723
0.776394	1.000723
0.7779	1.000723
0.779408	1.000723
0.78092	1.000723
0.782435	1.000723
0.783953	1.000723
0.785473	1.000723
0.786997	1.000723
0.788523	1.000723
0.790053	1.000723
0.791585	1.000723
0.793121	1.000723
0.794659	1.000723
0.796201	1.000723
0.797745	1.000723
0.799292	1.000723
0.800843	1.000723
0.802396	1.000723
0.803953	1.000723
0.805512	1.000723
0.807075	1.000723
0.80864	1.000723
0.810209	1.000723
0.81178	1.000723
0.813355	1.000723
0.814932	1.000723
0.816513	1.000723
0.818097	1.000723
0.819684	1.000723
0.821274	1.000723
0.822867	1.000723
0.824463	1.000723
0.826062	1.000722
0.827664	1.000722
0.82927	1.000722
0.830878	1.000722
0.83249	1.000722
0.834105	1.000722
0.835723	1.000722
0.837344	1.000722
0.838968	1.000722
0.840595	1.000722
0.842226	1.000722
0.843859	1.000722
0.845496	1.000722
0.847136	1.000722
0.848779	1.000722
0.850426	1.000722
0.852075	1.000722
0.853728	1.000722
0.855384	1.000722
0.857043	1.000722
0.858706	1.000722
0.860371	1.000722
0.86204	1.000722
0.863712	1.000722
0.865388	1.000722
0.867066	1.000722
0.868748	1.000722
0.870433	1.000722
0.872122	1.000722
0.873813	1.000722
0.875508	1.000722
0.877206	1.000722
0.878908	1.000722
0.880613	1.000722
0.882321	1.000722
0.884032	1.000722
0.885747	1.000722
0.887465	1.000722
0.889186	1.000721
0.890911	1.000721
0.892639	1.000721
0.894371	1.000721
0.896106	1.000721
0.897844	1.000721
0.899585	1.000721
0.90133	1.000721
0.903079	1.000721
0.90483	1.000721
0.906585	1.000721
0.908344	1.000721
0.910106	1.000721
0.911871	1.000721
0.91364	1.000721
0.915412	1.000721
0.917188	1.000721
0.918967	1.000721
0.920749	1.000721
0.922535	1.000721
0.924325	1.000721
0.926118	1.000721
0.927914	1.000721
0.929714	1.000721
0.931517	1.000721
0.933324	1.000721
0.935134	1.000721
0.936948	1.000721
0.938766	1.000721
0.940587	1.000721
0.942411	1.000721
0.944239	1.000721
0.946071	1.000721
0.947906	1.000721
0.949744	1.000721
0.951587	1.000721
0.953432	1.000721
0.955282	1.000721
0.957135	1.000721
0.958991	1.000721
0.960851	1.000721
0.962715	1.000721
0.964583	1.000721
0.966454	1.000721
0.968328	1.00072
0.970206	1.00072
0.972088	1.00072
0.973974	1.00072
0.975863	1.00072
0.977756	1.00072
0.979653	1.00072
0.981553	1.00072
0.983457	1.00072
0.985364	1.00072
0.987276	1.00072
0.989191	1.00072
0.991109	1.00072
0.993032	1.00072
0.994958	1.00072
0.996888	1.00072
0.998822	1.00072
1.00076	1.00072
1.0027	1.00072
1.00465	1.00072
1.00659	1.00072
1.00855	1.00072
1.0105	1.00072
1.01246	1.00072
1.01443	1.00072
1.01639	1.00072
1.01837	1.00072
1.02034	1.00072
1.02232	1.00072
1.0243	1.00072
1.02629	1.00072
1.02828	1.00072
1.03028	1.00072
1.03227	1.00072
1.03428	1.00072
1.03628	1.00072
1.03829	1.00072
1.04031	1.00072
1.04232	1.00072
1.04435	1.00072
1.04637	1.00072
1.0484	1.00072
1.05043	1.00072
1.05247	1.00072
1.05451	1.00072
1.05656	1.00072
1.05861	1.00072
1.06066	1.00072
1.06272	1.00072
1.06478	1.00072
1.06685	1.00072
1.06892	1.00072
1.07099	1.00072
1.07307	1.00072
1.07515	1.000719
1.07723	1.000719
1.07932	1.000719
1.08142	1.000719
1.08351	1.000719
1.08562	1.000719
1.08772	1.000719
1.08983	1.000719
1.09195	1.000719
1.09406	1.000719
1.09619	1.000719
1.09831	1.000719
1.10044	1.000719
1.10258	1.000719
1.10472	1.000719
1.10686	1.000719
1.109	1.000719
1.11116	1.000719
1.11331	1.000719
1.11547	1.000719
1.11763	1.000719
1.1198	1.000719
1.12197	1.000719
1.12415	1.000719
1.12633	1.000719
1.12852	1.000719
1.1307	1.000719
1.1329	1.000719
1.1351	1.000719
1.1373	1.000719
1.1395	1.000719
1.14171	1.000719
1.14393	1.000719
1.14615	1.000719
1.14837	1.000719
1.1506	1.000719
1.15283	1.000719
1.15507	1.000719
1.15731	1.000719
1.15955	1.000719
1.1618	1.000719
1.16405	1.000719
1.16631	1.000719
1.16857	1.000719
1.17084	1.000719
1.17311	1.000719
1.17539	1.000719
1.17767	1.000719
1.17995	1.000719
1.18224	1.000719
1.18453	1.000719
1.18683	1.000719
1.18913	1.000719
1.19144	1.000719
1.19375	1.000719
1.19607	1.000719
1.19839	1.000719
1.20071	1.000719
1.20304	1.000719
1.20537	1.000719
1.20771	1.000719
1.21005	1.000719
1.2124	1.000719
1.21475	1.000719
1.21711	1.000719
1.21947	1.000719
1.22184	1.000719
1.22421	1.000719
1.22658	1.000718
1.22896	1.000718
1.23134	1.000718
1.23373	1.000718
1.23612	1.000718
1.23852	1.000718
1.24092	1.000718
1.24333	1.000718
1.24574	1.000718
1.24816	1.000718
1.25058	1.000718
1.25301	1.000718
1.25544	1.000718
1.25787	1.000718
1.26031	1.000718
1.26276	1.000718
1.26521	1.000718
1.26766	1.000718
1.27012	1.000718
1.27258	1.000718
1.27505	1.000718
1.27752	1.000718
1.28	1.000718
1.28248	1.000718
1.28497	1.000718
1.28746	1.000718
1.28996	1.000718
1.29246	1.000718
1.29497	1.000718
1.29748	1.000718
1.3	1.000718

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: —

SF₆ (Sulphur hexafluoride): all datasets

Vukovic et al. 1996: n 0.6–1.3 µm n 0.6–1.3 µm default

About SF6 (Sulphur hexafluoride)

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) is a colorless, odorless, non-toxic, and non-flammable gas that is renowned for its excellent electrical insulation properties. It is often used in high-voltage electrical equipment as an insulating and arc-quenching gas because of its ability to cool and extinguish electrical arcs. This makes SF₆ essential for applications such as switchgears, circuit breakers, and transformers. The gas is also utilized in the magnesium industry to prevent the oxidation of molten magnesium and in the semiconductor field for plasma etching processes. Due to its high global warming potential, there are ongoing efforts to find alternatives and reduce the amount of SF₆ released into the atmosphere. In optical applications, it can be used for its dense, heavy properties, which can modify the speed of sound and refractive indices of the gases it's mixed with.

More about SF6 (Sulphur hexafluoride) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/main/SF6/nk/Vukovic.yml
ID: ds_d7012244f999
API: /v1/datasets/ds_d7012244f999

Plot