Optical constants

Refractive index of SiO₂ (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz)

Gao et al. 2013: n,k 0.252–1.25 µm

Data: tabulated nk
Range: 0.252–1.25 µm
Points: 500
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.4776
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 2.18331
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: —
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.036 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.49876
Group velocity dispersion: — fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: — 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

# SiO2 (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz): Gao et al. 2013: n,k 0.252–1.25 µm
sio2 = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "SiO2", "Gao", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(sio2.range_nm)  # (252, 1250) nm
eps = sio2.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_1b59096048ee/lightsmith"
sio2 = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(sio2.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (sio2/gao-2013).

# ... load sio2 as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
    particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=sio2)],
    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.

Comments and conditions

300-nm monolayer deposited on fused silica using the ion assistance electronic beam deposition technique.

References

L. Gao, F. Lemarchand, M. Lequime. Refractive index determination of SiO₂ layer in the UV/Vis/NIR range: spectrophotometric reverse engineering on single and bi-layer designs. J. Europ. Opt. Soc. Rap. Public. 8, 13010 (2013) (Numerical data kindly provided by F. Lemarchand)

doi:10.2971/jeos.2013.13010 Refractive index determination of SiO <sub>2</sub> layer in the UV/Vis/NIR range: spectrophotometric reverse engineering on single and bi-layer designs, Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications (2013)

Cite

L. Gao, F. Lemarchand and M. Lequime. Refractive index determination of SiO <sub>2</sub> layer in the UV/Vis/NIR range: spectrophotometric reverse engineering on single and bi-layer designs. Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications, 8, 13010 (2013), doi:10.2971/jeos.2013.13010; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)

Data

500 rows as published

CSV comma separated TXT tab separated YAML n, k Full database record original YAML All quantities CSV JSON metadata

SiO2 (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz), Gao et al. 2013: n,k 0.252–1.25 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n	k
0.252	1.523846	0.001211
0.254	1.522945	0.001171
0.256	1.522066	0.001131
0.258	1.521208	0.001093
0.26	1.52037	0.001055
0.262	1.519552	0.001019
0.264	1.518753	0.000983
0.266	1.517972	0.000949
0.268	1.517209	0.000915
0.27	1.516463	0.000882
0.272	1.515734	0.00085
0.274	1.515021	0.000819
0.276	1.514325	0.000789
0.278	1.513643	0.000759
0.28	1.512977	0.00073
0.282	1.512325	0.000702
0.284	1.511687	0.000675
0.286	1.511063	0.000649
0.288	1.510452	0.000623
0.29	1.509854	0.000598
0.292	1.509268	0.000574
0.294	1.508695	0.00055
0.296	1.508134	0.000527
0.298	1.507584	0.000505
0.3	1.507046	0.000483
0.302	1.506518	0.000462
0.304	1.506002	0.000441
0.306	1.505495	0.000421
0.308	1.504999	0.000402
0.31	1.504512	0.000383
0.312	1.504035	0.000365
0.314	1.503568	0.000348
0.316	1.503109	0.000331
0.318	1.50266	0.000314
0.32	1.502219	0.000298
0.322	1.501786	0.000283
0.324	1.501361	0.000268
0.326	1.500945	0.000253
0.328	1.500536	0.00024
0.33	1.500135	0.000226
0.332	1.499742	0.000213
0.334	1.499355	0.0002
0.336	1.498976	0.000188
0.338	1.498603	0.000177
0.34	1.498238	0.000166
0.342	1.497878	0.000155
0.344	1.497525	0.000144
0.346	1.497179	0.000135
0.348	1.496838	0.000125
0.35	1.496504	0.000116
0.352	1.496175	0.000107
0.354	1.495852	9.9e-05
0.356	1.495534	9.1e-05
0.358	1.495222	8.3e-05
0.36	1.494915	7.6e-05
0.362	1.494613	6.9e-05
0.364	1.494316	6.3e-05
0.366	1.494025	5.7e-05
0.368	1.493738	5.1e-05
0.37	1.493455	4.5e-05
0.372	1.493177	4e-05
0.374	1.492904	3.6e-05
0.376	1.492635	3.1e-05
0.378	1.49237	2.7e-05
0.38	1.49211	2.3e-05
0.382	1.491854	2e-05
0.384	1.491601	1.6e-05
0.386	1.491353	1.4e-05
0.388	1.491108	1.1e-05
0.39	1.490867	9e-06
0.392	1.490629	7e-06
0.394	1.490396	5e-06
0.396	1.490165	3e-06
0.398	1.489938	2e-06
0.4	1.489714	1e-06
0.402	1.489494	1e-06
0.404	1.489276	0.0
0.406	1.489062	0.0
0.408	1.48885	0.0
0.41	1.488641	0.0
0.412	1.488435	0.0
0.414	1.488231	0.0
0.416	1.488031	0.0
0.418	1.487833	0.0
0.42	1.487638	0.0
0.422	1.487446	0.0
0.424	1.487256	0.0
0.426	1.487069	0.0
0.428	1.486884	0.0
0.43	1.486702	0.0
0.432	1.486522	0.0
0.434	1.486345	0.0
0.436	1.48617	0.0
0.438	1.485997	0.0
0.44	1.485827	0.0
0.442	1.485659	0.0
0.444	1.485493	0.0
0.446	1.485329	0.0
0.448	1.485167	0.0
0.45	1.485008	0.0
0.452	1.484851	0.0
0.454	1.484695	0.0
0.456	1.484542	0.0
0.458	1.48439	0.0
0.46	1.484241	0.0
0.462	1.484094	0.0
0.464	1.483948	0.0
0.466	1.483804	0.0
0.468	1.483662	0.0
0.47	1.483522	0.0
0.472	1.483383	0.0
0.474	1.483247	0.0
0.476	1.483111	0.0
0.478	1.482978	0.0
0.48	1.482846	0.0
0.482	1.482716	0.0
0.484	1.482588	0.0
0.486	1.482461	0.0
0.488	1.482335	0.0
0.49	1.482211	0.0
0.492	1.482089	0.0
0.494	1.481968	0.0
0.496	1.481848	0.0
0.498	1.48173	0.0
0.5	1.481613	0.0
0.502	1.481498	0.0
0.504	1.481384	0.0
0.506	1.481271	0.0
0.508	1.48116	0.0
0.51	1.48105	0.0
0.512	1.480941	0.0
0.514	1.480834	0.0
0.516	1.480727	0.0
0.518	1.480622	0.0
0.52	1.480518	0.0
0.522	1.480416	0.0
0.524	1.480314	0.0
0.526	1.480214	0.0
0.528	1.480115	0.0
0.53	1.480016	0.0
0.532	1.479919	0.0
0.534	1.479823	0.0
0.536	1.479729	0.0
0.538	1.479635	0.0
0.54	1.479542	0.0
0.542	1.47945	0.0
0.544	1.479359	0.0
0.546	1.479269	0.0
0.548	1.479181	0.0
0.55	1.479093	0.0
0.552	1.479006	0.0
0.554	1.47892	0.0
0.556	1.478835	0.0
0.558	1.478751	0.0
0.56	1.478667	0.0
0.562	1.478585	0.0
0.564	1.478503	0.0
0.566	1.478423	0.0
0.568	1.478343	0.0
0.57	1.478264	0.0
0.572	1.478186	0.0
0.574	1.478108	0.0
0.576	1.478032	0.0
0.578	1.477956	0.0
0.58	1.477881	0.0
0.582	1.477807	0.0
0.584	1.477733	0.0
0.586	1.47766	0.0
0.588	1.477588	0.0
0.59	1.477517	0.0
0.592	1.477447	0.0
0.594	1.477377	0.0
0.596	1.477308	0.0
0.598	1.477239	0.0
0.6	1.477171	0.0
0.602	1.477104	0.0
0.604	1.477038	0.0
0.606	1.476972	0.0
0.608	1.476907	0.0
0.61	1.476842	0.0
0.612	1.476778	0.0
0.614	1.476715	0.0
0.616	1.476652	0.0
0.618	1.47659	0.0
0.62	1.476529	0.0
0.622	1.476468	0.0
0.624	1.476408	0.0
0.626	1.476348	0.0
0.628	1.476289	0.0
0.63	1.47623	0.0
0.632	1.476172	0.0
0.634	1.476115	0.0
0.636	1.476058	0.0
0.638	1.476001	0.0
0.64	1.475946	0.0
0.642	1.47589	0.0
0.644	1.475835	0.0
0.646	1.475781	0.0
0.648	1.475727	0.0
0.65	1.475674	0.0
0.652	1.475621	0.0
0.654	1.475568	0.0
0.656	1.475517	0.0
0.658	1.475465	0.0
0.66	1.475414	0.0
0.662	1.475364	0.0
0.664	1.475314	0.0
0.666	1.475264	0.0
0.668	1.475215	0.0
0.67	1.475166	0.0
0.672	1.475118	0.0
0.674	1.47507	0.0
0.676	1.475022	0.0
0.678	1.474975	0.0
0.68	1.474929	0.0
0.682	1.474883	0.0
0.684	1.474837	0.0
0.686	1.474791	0.0
0.688	1.474746	0.0
0.69	1.474702	0.0
0.692	1.474657	0.0
0.694	1.474614	0.0
0.696	1.47457	0.0
0.698	1.474527	0.0
0.7	1.474484	0.0
0.702	1.474442	0.0
0.704	1.4744	0.0
0.706	1.474358	0.0
0.708	1.474317	0.0
0.71	1.474276	0.0
0.712	1.474235	0.0
0.714	1.474195	0.0
0.716	1.474155	0.0
0.718	1.474115	0.0
0.72	1.474076	0.0
0.722	1.474037	0.0
0.724	1.473998	0.0
0.726	1.47396	0.0
0.728	1.473922	0.0
0.73	1.473884	0.0
0.732	1.473847	0.0
0.734	1.47381	0.0
0.736	1.473773	0.0
0.738	1.473737	0.0
0.74	1.4737	0.0
0.742	1.473665	0.0
0.744	1.473629	0.0
0.746	1.473594	0.0
0.748	1.473559	0.0
0.75	1.473524	0.0
0.752	1.473489	0.0
0.754	1.473455	0.0
0.756	1.473421	0.0
0.758	1.473387	0.0
0.76	1.473354	0.0
0.762	1.473321	0.0
0.764	1.473288	0.0
0.766	1.473255	0.0
0.768	1.473223	0.0
0.77	1.473191	0.0
0.772	1.473159	0.0
0.774	1.473127	0.0
0.776	1.473096	0.0
0.778	1.473065	0.0
0.78	1.473034	0.0
0.782	1.473003	0.0
0.784	1.472973	0.0
0.786	1.472942	0.0
0.788	1.472912	0.0
0.79	1.472883	0.0
0.792	1.472853	0.0
0.794	1.472824	0.0
0.796	1.472795	0.0
0.798	1.472766	0.0
0.8	1.472737	0.0
0.802	1.472709	0.0
0.804	1.47268	0.0
0.806	1.472652	0.0
0.808	1.472625	0.0
0.81	1.472597	0.0
0.812	1.47257	0.0
0.814	1.472542	0.0
0.816	1.472515	0.0
0.818	1.472489	0.0
0.82	1.472462	0.0
0.822	1.472436	0.0
0.824	1.472409	0.0
0.826	1.472383	0.0
0.828	1.472357	0.0
0.83	1.472332	0.0
0.832	1.472306	0.0
0.834	1.472281	0.0
0.836	1.472256	0.0
0.838	1.472231	0.0
0.84	1.472206	0.0
0.842	1.472182	0.0
0.844	1.472157	0.0
0.846	1.472133	0.0
0.848	1.472109	0.0
0.85	1.472085	0.0
0.852	1.472061	0.0
0.854	1.472038	0.0
0.856	1.472014	0.0
0.858	1.471991	0.0
0.86	1.471968	0.0
0.862	1.471945	0.0
0.864	1.471922	0.0
0.866	1.4719	0.0
0.868	1.471877	0.0
0.87	1.471855	0.0
0.872	1.471833	0.0
0.874	1.471811	0.0
0.876	1.471789	0.0
0.878	1.471767	0.0
0.88	1.471746	0.0
0.882	1.471724	0.0
0.884	1.471703	0.0
0.886	1.471682	0.0
0.888	1.471661	0.0
0.89	1.47164	0.0
0.892	1.47162	0.0
0.894	1.471599	0.0
0.896	1.471579	0.0
0.898	1.471558	0.0
0.9	1.471538	0.0
0.902	1.471518	0.0
0.904	1.471498	0.0
0.906	1.471479	0.0
0.908	1.471459	0.0
0.91	1.471439	0.0
0.912	1.47142	0.0
0.914	1.471401	0.0
0.916	1.471382	0.0
0.918	1.471363	0.0
0.92	1.471344	0.0
0.922	1.471325	0.0
0.924	1.471307	0.0
0.926	1.471288	0.0
0.928	1.47127	0.0
0.93	1.471251	0.0
0.932	1.471233	0.0
0.934	1.471215	0.0
0.936	1.471197	0.0
0.938	1.47118	0.0
0.94	1.471162	0.0
0.942	1.471144	0.0
0.944	1.471127	0.0
0.946	1.47111	0.0
0.948	1.471092	0.0
0.95	1.471075	0.0
0.952	1.471058	0.0
0.954	1.471041	0.0
0.956	1.471025	0.0
0.958	1.471008	0.0
0.96	1.470991	0.0
0.962	1.470975	0.0
0.964	1.470958	0.0
0.966	1.470942	0.0
0.968	1.470926	0.0
0.97	1.47091	0.0
0.972	1.470894	0.0
0.974	1.470878	0.0
0.976	1.470862	0.0
0.978	1.470846	0.0
0.98	1.470831	0.0
0.982	1.470815	0.0
0.984	1.4708	0.0
0.986	1.470785	0.0
0.988	1.470769	0.0
0.99	1.470754	0.0
0.992	1.470739	0.0
0.994	1.470724	0.0
0.996	1.470709	0.0
0.998	1.470695	0.0
1.0	1.47068	0.0
1.002	1.470665	0.0
1.004	1.470651	0.0
1.006	1.470636	0.0
1.008	1.470622	0.0
1.01	1.470608	0.0
1.012	1.470594	0.0
1.014	1.47058	0.0
1.016	1.470566	0.0
1.018	1.470552	0.0
1.02	1.470538	0.0
1.022	1.470524	0.0
1.024	1.47051	0.0
1.026	1.470497	0.0
1.028	1.470483	0.0
1.03	1.47047	0.0
1.032	1.470456	0.0
1.034	1.470443	0.0
1.036	1.47043	0.0
1.038	1.470417	0.0
1.04	1.470404	0.0
1.042	1.470391	0.0
1.044	1.470378	0.0
1.046	1.470365	0.0
1.048	1.470352	0.0
1.05	1.47034	0.0
1.052	1.470327	0.0
1.054	1.470314	0.0
1.056	1.470302	0.0
1.058	1.47029	0.0
1.06	1.470277	0.0
1.062	1.470265	0.0
1.064	1.470253	0.0
1.066	1.470241	0.0
1.068	1.470229	0.0
1.07	1.470217	0.0
1.072	1.470205	0.0
1.074	1.470193	0.0
1.076	1.470181	0.0
1.078	1.470169	0.0
1.08	1.470158	0.0
1.082	1.470146	0.0
1.084	1.470135	0.0
1.086	1.470123	0.0
1.088	1.470112	0.0
1.09	1.4701	0.0
1.092	1.470089	0.0
1.094	1.470078	0.0
1.096	1.470067	0.0
1.098	1.470056	0.0
1.1	1.470045	0.0
1.102	1.470034	0.0
1.104	1.470023	0.0
1.106	1.470012	0.0
1.108	1.470001	0.0
1.11	1.46999	0.0
1.112	1.46998	0.0
1.114	1.469969	0.0
1.116	1.469958	0.0
1.118	1.469948	0.0
1.12	1.469937	0.0
1.122	1.469927	0.0
1.124	1.469917	0.0
1.126	1.469906	0.0
1.128	1.469896	0.0
1.13	1.469886	0.0
1.132	1.469876	0.0
1.134	1.469866	0.0
1.136	1.469856	0.0
1.138	1.469846	0.0
1.14	1.469836	0.0
1.142	1.469826	0.0
1.144	1.469816	0.0
1.146	1.469807	0.0
1.148	1.469797	0.0
1.15	1.469787	0.0
1.152	1.469778	0.0
1.154	1.469768	0.0
1.156	1.469758	0.0
1.158	1.469749	0.0
1.16	1.46974	0.0
1.162	1.46973	0.0
1.164	1.469721	0.0
1.166	1.469712	0.0
1.168	1.469702	0.0
1.17	1.469693	0.0
1.172	1.469684	0.0
1.174	1.469675	0.0
1.176	1.469666	0.0
1.178	1.469657	0.0
1.18	1.469648	0.0
1.182	1.469639	0.0
1.184	1.46963	0.0
1.186	1.469622	0.0
1.188	1.469613	0.0
1.19	1.469604	0.0
1.192	1.469595	0.0
1.194	1.469587	0.0
1.196	1.469578	0.0
1.198	1.46957	0.0
1.2	1.469561	0.0
1.202	1.469553	0.0
1.204	1.469544	0.0
1.206	1.469536	0.0
1.208	1.469528	0.0
1.21	1.469519	0.0
1.212	1.469511	0.0
1.214	1.469503	0.0
1.216	1.469495	0.0
1.218	1.469487	0.0
1.22	1.469478	0.0
1.222	1.46947	0.0
1.224	1.469462	0.0
1.226	1.469454	0.0
1.228	1.469447	0.0
1.23	1.469439	0.0
1.232	1.469431	0.0
1.234	1.469423	0.0
1.236	1.469415	0.0
1.238	1.469407	0.0
1.24	1.4694	0.0
1.242	1.469392	0.0
1.244	1.469384	0.0
1.246	1.469377	0.0
1.248	1.469369	0.0
1.25	1.469362	0.0

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: —

SiO₂ (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz): all datasets

Fused silica

Crystal

Thin film

About SiO2 (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz)

Silicon dioxide (SiO₂), commonly known as silica, is found naturally in several crystalline forms, the most notable being quartz. Additionally, when silicon dioxide is manufactured without the crystalline structure, it forms what is known as fused silica. Fused silica is a non-crystalline (or amorphous) form of silicon dioxide and is produced by melting high purity silica at extremely high temperatures. It has superior optical clarity, especially in the ultraviolet (UV) range, and is resistant to thermal shock, making it valuable for many high-end optical applications, including lenses and windows in spacecraft and satellites. SiO₂ is extensively used in electronics as an insulator and serves as a primary ingredient in the production of glass. It's also used in thin-film optics, often as antireflection coatings on optical devices. Beyond its optical applications, silicon dioxide finds use in ceramics, construction, and even as a food additive. Polymorphs:

Alpha quartz (α-quartz, most common)
Beta quartz (β-quartz, only stable at temperatures above 573 °C)
Tridymite
Cristobalite
Coesite
Stishovite
Lechatelierite
Chalcedony

More about SiO2 (Silicon dioxide, Silica, Quartz) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/main/SiO2/nk/Gao.yml
ID: ds_1b59096048ee
API: /v1/datasets/ds_1b59096048ee

Plot