Optical constants

Refractive index of ZBLAN fluoride glass

Gan 1995: n 0.365–3.50 µm

Data: formula 1
Range: 0.365–3.5 µm
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 1.50107
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 2.25321
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: 73.427
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.0352348 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 1.52177
Group velocity dispersion: 63.1033 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -344.262 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

# ZBLAN fluoride glass: Gan 1995: n 0.365–3.50 µm
zblan = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("glass", "ZBLAN", "Gan", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(zblan.range_nm)  # (365, 3500) nm
eps = zblan.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_95d44232242c/lightsmith"
zblan = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(zblan.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (zblan/gan-1995).

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

import json, urllib.request
import lightsmith as ls

url = "https://materials.lightsmith.dev/v1/datasets/ds_95d44232242c/lightsmith?model=drude_lorentz"
zblan_dl = ls.DrudeLorentz.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))

A dispersive Drude–Lorentz model for time-domain solvers.

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

Sellmeier (formula 1), λ in µm

n^{2} - 1 = \frac{1.22514 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - {0.08969}^{2}} + \frac{1.52898 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - {21.3825}^{2}}

Valid from 0.365 to 3.5 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	0.0
C2	1.22514
C3	0.08969
C4	1.52898
C5	21.3825

Comments and conditions

Room temperature.

References

F. Gan. Optical properties of fluoride glasses: a review. J. Non-Cryst. Solids 184, 9–20 (1995)

doi:10.1016/0022-3093(94)00592-3 Optical properties of fluoride glasses: a review, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids (1995)

Cite

Fuxi Gan. Optical properties of fluoride glasses: a review. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 184, 9-20 (1995), doi:10.1016/0022-3093(94)00592-3; 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

ZBLAN fluoride glass, Gan 1995: n 0.365–3.50 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.365	1.517703
0.367074	1.517391
0.369159	1.517082
0.371257	1.516777
0.373366	1.516476
0.375488	1.516179
0.377621	1.515885
0.379767	1.515595
0.381925	1.515309
0.384095	1.515026
0.386277	1.514746
0.388472	1.51447
0.390679	1.514197
0.392899	1.513927
0.395131	1.513661
0.397376	1.513398
0.399634	1.513138
0.401905	1.512882
0.404188	1.512628
0.406485	1.512378
0.408794	1.51213
0.411117	1.511886
0.413453	1.511644
0.415802	1.511406
0.418164	1.51117
0.42054	1.510937
0.42293	1.510707
0.425333	1.510479
0.427749	1.510254
0.43018	1.510032
0.432624	1.509813
0.435082	1.509596
0.437554	1.509382
0.44004	1.50917
0.44254	1.508961
0.445055	1.508754
0.447584	1.50855
0.450127	1.508348
0.452684	1.508149
0.455256	1.507952
0.457843	1.507757
0.460444	1.507564
0.46306	1.507374
0.465691	1.507186
0.468337	1.507
0.470998	1.506816
0.473674	1.506635
0.476366	1.506455
0.479072	1.506278
0.481794	1.506102
0.484532	1.505929
0.487285	1.505758
0.490054	1.505589
0.492838	1.505421
0.495638	1.505256
0.498454	1.505092
0.501286	1.50493
0.504135	1.504771
0.506999	1.504613
0.50988	1.504456
0.512777	1.504302
0.51569	1.504149
0.51862	1.503998
0.521567	1.503849
0.52453	1.503702
0.527511	1.503556
0.530508	1.503412
0.533522	1.503269
0.536553	1.503128
0.539602	1.502989
0.542668	1.502851
0.545751	1.502714
0.548852	1.50258
0.551971	1.502446
0.555107	1.502315
0.558261	1.502184
0.561433	1.502055
0.564623	1.501928
0.567831	1.501802
0.571057	1.501677
0.574302	1.501554
0.577565	1.501432
0.580846	1.501311
0.584147	1.501192
0.587466	1.501074
0.590803	1.500957
0.59416	1.500842
0.597536	1.500728
0.600931	1.500615
0.604346	1.500503
0.607779	1.500392
0.611233	1.500283
0.614705	1.500175
0.618198	1.500068
0.621711	1.499962
0.625243	1.499857
0.628796	1.499753
0.632368	1.499651
0.635961	1.499549
0.639575	1.499449
0.643209	1.49935
0.646863	1.499251
0.650538	1.499154
0.654235	1.499058
0.657952	1.498962
0.66169	1.498868
0.66545	1.498775
0.669231	1.498682
0.673033	1.498591
0.676857	1.4985
0.680703	1.498411
0.684571	1.498322
0.68846	1.498234
0.692372	1.498147
0.696306	1.498061
0.700262	1.497976
0.704241	1.497891
0.708242	1.497808
0.712266	1.497725
0.716313	1.497643
0.720383	1.497562
0.724476	1.497482
0.728593	1.497402
0.732732	1.497324
0.736896	1.497246
0.741082	1.497168
0.745293	1.497092
0.749528	1.497016
0.753786	1.496941
0.758069	1.496866
0.762376	1.496793
0.766708	1.49672
0.771064	1.496647
0.775445	1.496576
0.779851	1.496505
0.784282	1.496434
0.788738	1.496364
0.79322	1.496295
0.797727	1.496227
0.802259	1.496159
0.806818	1.496091
0.811402	1.496025
0.816012	1.495958
0.820648	1.495893
0.825311	1.495828
0.83	1.495763
0.834716	1.495699
0.839459	1.495636
0.844229	1.495573
0.849025	1.495511
0.853849	1.495449
0.858701	1.495387
0.86358	1.495326
0.868486	1.495266
0.873421	1.495206
0.878384	1.495147
0.883374	1.495088
0.888394	1.495029
0.893441	1.494971
0.898518	1.494913
0.903623	1.494856
0.908757	1.494799
0.91392	1.494743
0.919113	1.494687
0.924335	1.494631
0.929587	1.494576
0.934869	1.494521
0.940181	1.494466
0.945523	1.494412
0.950895	1.494359
0.956298	1.494305
0.961731	1.494252
0.967195	1.494199
0.972691	1.494147
0.978217	1.494095
0.983776	1.494043
0.989365	1.493992
0.994987	1.493941
1.00064	1.49389
1.00633	1.493839
1.01204	1.493789
1.01779	1.493739
1.02358	1.493689
1.02939	1.49364
1.03524	1.493591
1.04112	1.493542
1.04704	1.493493
1.05299	1.493445
1.05897	1.493396
1.06499	1.493348
1.07104	1.4933
1.07712	1.493253
1.08324	1.493206
1.0894	1.493158
1.09559	1.493111
1.10181	1.493065
1.10807	1.493018
1.11437	1.492971
1.1207	1.492925
1.12707	1.492879
1.13347	1.492833
1.13991	1.492787
1.14639	1.492742
1.1529	1.492696
1.15945	1.492651
1.16604	1.492606
1.17267	1.49256
1.17933	1.492515
1.18603	1.49247
1.19277	1.492426
1.19955	1.492381
1.20636	1.492336
1.21322	1.492292
1.22011	1.492247
1.22704	1.492203
1.23401	1.492158
1.24102	1.492114
1.24808	1.49207
1.25517	1.492026
1.2623	1.491982
1.26947	1.491938
1.27668	1.491894
1.28394	1.49185
1.29123	1.491806
1.29857	1.491762
1.30595	1.491718
1.31337	1.491674
1.32083	1.49163
1.32833	1.491586
1.33588	1.491542
1.34347	1.491498
1.3511	1.491453
1.35878	1.491409
1.3665	1.491365
1.37427	1.491321
1.38207	1.491277
1.38993	1.491233
1.39782	1.491188
1.40577	1.491144
1.41375	1.491099
1.42179	1.491055
1.42986	1.49101
1.43799	1.490966
1.44616	1.490921
1.45438	1.490876
1.46264	1.490831
1.47095	1.490786
1.47931	1.49074
1.48771	1.490695
1.49617	1.490649
1.50467	1.490604
1.51322	1.490558
1.52181	1.490512
1.53046	1.490466
1.53916	1.49042
1.5479	1.490373
1.5567	1.490327
1.56554	1.49028
1.57444	1.490233
1.58338	1.490186
1.59238	1.490138
1.60143	1.490091
1.61052	1.490043
1.61968	1.489995
1.62888	1.489947
1.63813	1.489898
1.64744	1.48985
1.6568	1.489801
1.66621	1.489751
1.67568	1.489702
1.6852	1.489652
1.69478	1.489602
1.70441	1.489552
1.71409	1.489501
1.72383	1.489451
1.73362	1.489399
1.74347	1.489348
1.75338	1.489296
1.76334	1.489244
1.77336	1.489192
1.78344	1.489139
1.79357	1.489086
1.80376	1.489033
1.81401	1.488979
1.82432	1.488925
1.83468	1.48887
1.84511	1.488815
1.85559	1.48876
1.86613	1.488705
1.87674	1.488649
1.8874	1.488592
1.89812	1.488535
1.90891	1.488478
1.91975	1.48842
1.93066	1.488362
1.94163	1.488304
1.95266	1.488245
1.96376	1.488185
1.97492	1.488125
1.98614	1.488065
1.99742	1.488004
2.00877	1.487943
2.02018	1.487881
2.03166	1.487818
2.04321	1.487755
2.05481	1.487692
2.06649	1.487628
2.07823	1.487563
2.09004	1.487498
2.10191	1.487433
2.11386	1.487367
2.12587	1.4873
2.13795	1.487232
2.15009	1.487164
2.16231	1.487096
2.1746	1.487027
2.18695	1.486957
2.19938	1.486886
2.21187	1.486815
2.22444	1.486744
2.23708	1.486671
2.24979	1.486598
2.26257	1.486524
2.27543	1.48645
2.28836	1.486375
2.30136	1.486299
2.31444	1.486222
2.32759	1.486145
2.34081	1.486067
2.35411	1.485988
2.36749	1.485909
2.38094	1.485828
2.39447	1.485747
2.40807	1.485665
2.42175	1.485582
2.43551	1.485499
2.44935	1.485414
2.46327	1.485329
2.47726	1.485243
2.49134	1.485156
2.50549	1.485068
2.51973	1.484979
2.53405	1.484889
2.54844	1.484799
2.56292	1.484707
2.57749	1.484615
2.59213	1.484521
2.60686	1.484427
2.62167	1.484331
2.63657	1.484235
2.65155	1.484138
2.66661	1.484039
2.68176	1.48394
2.697	1.483839
2.71232	1.483737
2.72773	1.483635
2.74323	1.483531
2.75882	1.483426
2.77449	1.48332
2.79026	1.483213
2.80611	1.483104
2.82206	1.482995
2.83809	1.482884
2.85422	1.482772
2.87043	1.482659
2.88674	1.482545
2.90314	1.482429
2.91964	1.482312
2.93623	1.482194
2.95291	1.482074
2.96969	1.481954
2.98656	1.481831
3.00353	1.481708
3.0206	1.481583
3.03776	1.481457
3.05502	1.481329
3.07238	1.4812
3.08983	1.481069
3.10739	1.480937
3.12504	1.480803
3.1428	1.480668
3.16066	1.480532
3.17862	1.480393
3.19668	1.480254
3.21484	1.480112
3.2331	1.479969
3.25147	1.479825
3.26995	1.479679
3.28853	1.479531
3.30721	1.479381
3.326	1.47923
3.3449	1.479077
3.36391	1.478922
3.38302	1.478765
3.40224	1.478607
3.42157	1.478446
3.44101	1.478284
3.46056	1.47812
3.48023	1.477954
3.5	1.477786

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: —

ZBLAN fluoride glass: all datasets

Gan 1995: n 0.365–3.50 µm n 0.365–3.5 µm default

About ZBLAN fluoride glass

ZBLAN is a type of heavy-metal fluoride glass composed primarily of zirconium, barium, lanthanum, aluminum, and sodium fluorides. It is distinguished by its exceptional transmission capabilities in the mid-infrared range, often far superior to that of silica-based glasses. ZBLAN glass is renowned for its low levels of optical scattering, low refractive index variations, and low optical losses, making it an ideal material for fiber-optic applications, especially for those operating in the infrared spectrum. It also boasts a broad transmission window, from the ultraviolet through to the mid-infrared, and is often used in applications like spectroscopy, laser transmission, and sensing where these properties offer distinct advantages. However, ZBLAN can be challenging to manufacture and work with due to its sensitivity to impurities and crystallization. Despite these challenges and its relatively high cost, the unique optical properties of ZBLAN make it indispensable for specialized applications where conventional optical materials fall short. Typical composition: 53% ZrF₄, 20% BaF₂, 20% NaF, 4% LaF₃, 3% AlF₃

More about ZBLAN fluoride glass →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/glass/misc/ZBLAN/nk/Gan.yml
ID: ds_95d44232242c
API: /v1/datasets/ds_95d44232242c

Plot