Optical constants

Refractive index of ZnSe (Zinc selenide)

Amotchkina et al, 2020: n 0.400–13.9 µm, k 0.4-0.888 µm

Data: formula 2 + tabulated k
Range: 0.4–13.9 µm
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength. Note: k data cover 400-888 nm only; k = 0 elsewhere in the n range 400-13900 nm.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 2.63009
Extinction coefficient k: 8.70400e-07

Permittivity ε₁: 6.91739
Permittivity ε₂: 4.57847e-06

Absorption coefficient α: 0.186143 cm⁻¹
Penetration depth δ = λ/(2πk): 1.07444e+08 nm

Abbe number V_d: 9.6701
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.834234 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 3.12029
Group velocity dispersion: 1832.39 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -9996.68 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

# ZnSe (Zinc selenide): Amotchkina et al, 2020: n 0.400–13.9 µm, k 0.4-0.888 µm
znse = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "ZnSe", "Amotchkina", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(znse.range_nm)  # (400, 13900) nm
eps = znse.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_72eb16755dc1/lightsmith"
znse = ls.Tabulated.model_validate(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(url)))
print(znse.source)  # citation and provenance travel with the data

Any dataset here, as the library's Tabulated material (znse/amotchkina-2020).

# ... load znse as above, then:
sim = ls.Simulation(
    particles=[ls.Particle(shape=ls.Sphere(radius_nm=50), material=znse)],
    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_72eb16755dc1/lightsmith?model=drude_lorentz"
znse_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 (C in µm²) (formula 2), λ in µm

n^{2} - 1 = - 0.689818 + \frac{4.855169 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - 0.056359} + \frac{0.673922 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - 0.056336} + \frac{2.48189 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - 2222.114}

Valid from 0.4 to 13.9 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	-0.689818
C2	4.855169
C3	0.056359
C4	0.673922
C5	0.056336
C6	2.48189
C7	2222.114

Comments and conditions

Notes on the source data (kept exactly as published):

k data cover 400-888 nm only; k = 0 elsewhere in the n range 400-13900 nm

References

T. Amotchkina, M. Trubetskov, D. Hahner, V. Pervak. Characterization of e-beam evaporated Ge, YbF₃, ZnS, and LaF₃ thin films for laser-oriented coatings. Appl. Opt. 59, A40-A47 (2020) (Data kindly provided by Tatiana Amotchkina [data] [description])

doi:10.1364/ao.59.000a40 Characterization of e-beam evaporated Ge, YbF 3 , ZnS, and LaF 3 thin films for laser-oriented coatings, Applied Optics (2019)

Cite

Tatiana Amotchkina, Michael Trubetskov, Daniel Hahner and Vladimir Pervak. Characterization of e-beam evaporated Ge, YbF 3 , ZnS, and LaF 3 thin films for laser-oriented coatings. Applied Optics, 59, A40 (2019), doi:10.1364/ao.59.000a40; Data from the refractiveindex.info database (M. N. Polyanskiy, Sci. Data 11, 94 (2024), doi:10.1038/s41597-023-02898-2)

Data

Computed on 522 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

ZnSe (Zinc selenide), Amotchkina et al, 2020: n 0.400–13.9 µm, k 0.4-0.888 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n	k
0.4	2.974144	0.00177
0.403573	2.960488	0.001680677
0.404	2.958893	0.00167
0.407178	2.947263	0.001590555
0.408	2.944321	0.00157
0.410815	2.934451	0.001506666
0.412	2.930386	0.00148
0.414484	2.922034	0.001417891
0.416	2.917047	0.00138
0.418187	2.909995	0.001325333
0.42	2.90427	0.00128
0.421922	2.898319	0.001236753
0.424	2.892019	0.00119
0.425691	2.886992	0.001147729
0.428	2.880266	0.00109
0.429493	2.876	0.001053789
0.432	2.86898	0.000993
0.43333	2.865328	0.0009610893
0.436	2.858137	0.000897
0.4372	2.854966	0.0008678937
0.44	2.847711	0.0008
0.441105	2.8449	0.0007731921
0.444	2.83768	0.000703
0.445046	2.83512	0.000677906
0.448	2.828023	0.000607
0.449021	2.825616	0.0005822436
0.452	2.81872	0.00051
0.453032	2.816376	0.0004852395
0.456	2.809753	0.000414
0.457078	2.807391	0.0003878507
0.46	2.801106	0.000317
0.461161	2.798653	0.0002891336
0.464	2.792761	0.000221
0.46528	2.790152	0.0001899516
0.468	2.784705	0.000124
0.469436	2.781879	0.0001090616
0.472	2.776923	8.240000e-05
0.47363	2.773828	7.604475e-05
0.476	2.769402	6.680000e-05
0.47786	2.76599	5.959184e-05
0.48	2.76213	5.130000e-05
0.482129	2.758358	4.305176e-05
0.484	2.755095	3.580000e-05
0.486435	2.750925	2.904256e-05
0.488	2.748288	2.470000e-05
0.49078	2.743684	2.282342e-05
0.492	2.741696	2.200000e-05
0.495164	2.73663	1.986435e-05
0.496	2.735312	1.930000e-05
0.499587	2.729756	1.687884e-05
0.5	2.729126	1.660000e-05
0.504	2.723128	1.390000e-05
0.504049	2.723055	1.387531e-05
0.508	2.717312	1.190000e-05
0.508552	2.716524	1.161310e-05
0.512	2.71167	9.820000e-06
0.513094	2.710156	9.261919e-06
0.516	2.706194	7.780000e-06
0.517677	2.703946	6.928715e-06
0.52	2.700878	5.750000e-06
0.522301	2.697889	5.122847e-06
0.524	2.695715	4.660000e-06
0.526967	2.69198	4.170469e-06
0.528	2.690699	4.000000e-06
0.531674	2.686216	3.393807e-06
0.532	2.685824	3.340000e-06
0.536	2.681085	2.690000e-06
0.536423	2.680591	2.637126e-06
0.54	2.676476	2.190000e-06
0.541215	2.675102	2.126239e-06
0.544	2.671993	1.980000e-06
0.546049	2.669744	1.872437e-06
0.548	2.667631	1.770000e-06
0.550926	2.664513	1.616369e-06
0.552	2.663385	1.560000e-06
0.555847	2.659407	1.367632e-06
0.556	2.659251	1.360000e-06
0.56	2.655225	1.270000e-06
0.560812	2.65442	1.253752e-06
0.564	2.651303	1.190000e-06
0.565822	2.64955	1.149011e-06
0.568	2.647481	1.100000e-06
0.570876	2.644794	1.042483e-06
0.572	2.643757	1.020000e-06
0.575975	2.640147	9.693173e-07
0.576	2.640125	9.690000e-07
0.58	2.636584	9.350000e-07
0.58112	2.635608	9.254807e-07
0.584	2.63313	9.010000e-07
0.586311	2.631173	8.813592e-07
0.588	2.62976	8.670000e-07
0.591548	2.626839	8.403915e-07
0.592	2.626471	8.370000e-07
0.596	2.623261	8.130000e-07
0.596832	2.622604	8.080098e-07
0.6	2.620128	7.890000e-07
0.602163	2.618464	7.760231e-07
0.604	2.617067	7.650000e-07
0.607542	2.614417	7.446362e-07
0.608	2.614078	7.420000e-07
0.612	2.611158	7.240000e-07
0.612968	2.610461	7.196427e-07
0.616	2.608305	7.060000e-07
0.618444	2.606593	6.956150e-07
0.62	2.605516	6.890000e-07
0.623968	2.602811	6.711454e-07
0.624	2.60279	6.710000e-07
0.628	2.600124	6.600000e-07
0.629541	2.599113	6.573029e-07
0.632	2.597518	6.530000e-07
0.635164	2.595496	6.466711e-07
0.636	2.594968	6.450000e-07
0.64	2.592474	6.370000e-07
0.640838	2.591958	6.370000e-07
0.644	2.590034	6.370000e-07
0.646562	2.588498	6.440459e-07
0.648	2.587645	6.480000e-07
0.652	2.585308	6.600000e-07
0.652337	2.585113	6.609280e-07
0.656	2.583019	6.710000e-07
0.658164	2.581801	6.769519e-07
0.66	2.580778	6.820000e-07
0.664	2.578584	6.760000e-07
0.664043	2.578561	6.759242e-07
0.668	2.576435	6.690000e-07
0.669975	2.57539	6.660379e-07
0.672	2.574329	6.630000e-07
0.675959	2.572287	6.560714e-07
0.676	2.572266	6.560000e-07
0.68	2.570245	6.600000e-07
0.681997	2.569251	6.639942e-07
0.684	2.568263	6.680000e-07
0.688	2.566321	6.760000e-07
0.688089	2.566279	6.761778e-07
0.692	2.564417	6.840000e-07
0.694235	2.56337	6.890291e-07
0.696	2.56255	6.930000e-07
0.7	2.560719	7.040000e-07
0.700436	2.560522	7.051998e-07
0.704	2.558924	7.150000e-07
0.706693	2.557734	7.224053e-07
0.708	2.557162	7.260000e-07
0.712	2.555434	7.370000e-07
0.713005	2.555005	7.387592e-07
0.716	2.553739	7.440000e-07
0.719374	2.552333	7.499046e-07
0.72	2.552075	7.510000e-07
0.724	2.550442	7.580000e-07
0.7258	2.549717	7.606996e-07
0.728	2.548839	7.640000e-07
0.732	2.547265	7.730000e-07
0.732283	2.547155	7.735657e-07
0.736	2.54572	7.810000e-07
0.738824	2.544646	7.873536e-07
0.74	2.544203	7.900000e-07
0.744	2.542712	7.990000e-07
0.745423	2.542189	8.036256e-07
0.748	2.541249	8.120000e-07
0.752	2.539811	8.310000e-07
0.752082	2.539782	8.314082e-07
0.756	2.538399	8.510000e-07
0.758799	2.537425	8.649974e-07
0.76	2.537011	8.710000e-07
0.764	2.535648	8.890000e-07
0.765577	2.535116	8.862397e-07
0.768	2.534307	8.820000e-07
0.772	2.53299	8.760000e-07
0.772416	2.532855	8.752725e-07
0.776	2.531695	8.690000e-07
0.779315	2.530639	8.631984e-07
0.78	2.530423	8.620000e-07
0.784	2.529171	8.740000e-07
0.786276	2.528468	8.842434e-07
0.788	2.527941	8.920000e-07
0.792	2.526731	9.110000e-07
0.7933	2.526342	9.171731e-07
0.796	2.52554	9.300000e-07
0.8	2.52437	9.470000e-07
0.800386	2.524258	9.484461e-07
0.804	2.523218	9.620000e-07
0.807535	2.522216	9.752560e-07
0.808	2.522085	9.770000e-07
0.812	2.520971	9.910000e-07
0.814748	2.520215	1.004054e-06
0.816	2.519874	1.010000e-06
0.82	2.518795	1.040000e-06
0.822026	2.518255	1.055193e-06
0.824	2.517733	1.070000e-06
0.828	2.516687	1.100000e-06
0.829368	2.516333	1.110262e-06
0.832	2.515658	1.130000e-06
0.836	2.514645	1.130000e-06
0.836777	2.51445	1.126117e-06
0.84	2.513648	1.110000e-06
0.844	2.512666	1.100000e-06
0.844251	2.512605	1.099373e-06
0.848	2.511699	1.090000e-06
0.851792	2.510796	1.033120e-06
0.852	2.510747	1.030000e-06
0.856	2.509809	9.100000e-07
0.859401	2.509023	8.062840e-07
0.86	2.508885	7.880000e-07
0.864	2.507975	6.660000e-07
0.867077	2.507285	5.721521e-07
0.868	2.507079	5.440000e-07
0.872	2.506196	4.170000e-07
0.874822	2.505581	3.266958e-07
0.876	2.505326	2.890000e-07
0.88	2.504469	1.610000e-07
0.882636	2.50391	7.677307e-08
0.884	2.503624	3.320000e-08
0.888	2.502791	0
0.89052	2.502273	0
0.898475	2.500667	0
0.9065	2.499093	0
0.914597	2.49755	0
0.922767	2.496037	0
0.931009	2.494553	0
0.939325	2.493098	0
0.947716	2.491671	0
0.956181	2.490271	0
0.964722	2.488899	0
0.973339	2.487553	0
0.982033	2.486233	0
0.990805	2.484938	0
0.999655	2.483668	0
1.00858	2.482422	0
1.01759	2.4812	0
1.02668	2.480001	0
1.03585	2.478825	0
1.04511	2.477671	0
1.05444	2.476539	0
1.06386	2.475429	0
1.07336	2.474339	0
1.08295	2.47327	0
1.09262	2.472221	0
1.10238	2.471192	0
1.11223	2.470182	0
1.12217	2.469191	0
1.13219	2.468219	0
1.1423	2.467264	0
1.15251	2.466328	0
1.1628	2.465409	0
1.17319	2.464507	0
1.18367	2.463621	0
1.19424	2.462752	0
1.20491	2.461899	0
1.21567	2.461062	0
1.22653	2.46024	0
1.23748	2.459434	0
1.24854	2.458642	0
1.25969	2.457864	0
1.27094	2.457101	0
1.28229	2.456352	0
1.29375	2.455617	0
1.3053	2.454895	0
1.31696	2.454186	0
1.32873	2.453489	0
1.3406	2.452806	0
1.35257	2.452135	0
1.36465	2.451476	0
1.37684	2.450829	0
1.38914	2.450193	0
1.40155	2.449569	0
1.41407	2.448957	0
1.4267	2.448355	0
1.43944	2.447764	0
1.4523	2.447183	0
1.46527	2.446613	0
1.47836	2.446053	0
1.49157	2.445503	0
1.50489	2.444963	0
1.51833	2.444432	0
1.53189	2.44391	0
1.54558	2.443398	0
1.55938	2.442895	0
1.57331	2.442401	0
1.58736	2.441915	0
1.60154	2.441438	0
1.61585	2.440969	0
1.63028	2.440508	0
1.64484	2.440055	0
1.65954	2.43961	0
1.67436	2.439173	0
1.68932	2.438743	0
1.70441	2.438321	0
1.71963	2.437906	0
1.73499	2.437498	0
1.75049	2.437097	0
1.76612	2.436703	0
1.7819	2.436315	0
1.79782	2.435934	0
1.81387	2.435559	0
1.83008	2.435191	0
1.84642	2.434829	0
1.86292	2.434473	0
1.87956	2.434123	0
1.89635	2.433779	0
1.91328	2.43344	0
1.93037	2.433107	0
1.94762	2.432779	0
1.96501	2.432457	0
1.98257	2.43214	0
2.00027	2.431828	0
2.01814	2.431521	0
2.03617	2.431219	0
2.05436	2.430922	0
2.07271	2.43063	0
2.09122	2.430342	0
2.1099	2.430058	0
2.12875	2.42978	0
2.14776	2.429505	0
2.16695	2.429235	0
2.1863	2.428969	0
2.20583	2.428707	0
2.22553	2.428449	0
2.24541	2.428195	0
2.26547	2.427944	0
2.28571	2.427698	0
2.30612	2.427455	0
2.32672	2.427216	0
2.3475	2.42698	0
2.36847	2.426747	0
2.38963	2.426518	0
2.41097	2.426292	0
2.43251	2.42607	0
2.45424	2.42585	0
2.47616	2.425633	0
2.49828	2.42542	0
2.52059	2.425209	0
2.54311	2.425001	0
2.56582	2.424796	0
2.58874	2.424594	0
2.61187	2.424394	0
2.6352	2.424197	0
2.65873	2.424002	0
2.68248	2.42381	0
2.70644	2.42362	0
2.73062	2.423433	0
2.75501	2.423247	0
2.77962	2.423064	0
2.80445	2.422883	0
2.8295	2.422704	0
2.85477	2.422527	0
2.88027	2.422352	0
2.906	2.422179	0
2.93196	2.422008	0
2.95815	2.421838	0
2.98457	2.42167	0
3.01123	2.421504	0
3.03812	2.42134	0
3.06526	2.421177	0
3.09264	2.421016	0
3.12027	2.420856	0
3.14814	2.420697	0
3.17626	2.42054	0
3.20463	2.420384	0
3.23325	2.420229	0
3.26214	2.420076	0
3.29127	2.419924	0
3.32067	2.419772	0
3.35033	2.419622	0
3.38026	2.419473	0
3.41045	2.419325	0
3.44092	2.419178	0
3.47165	2.419032	0
3.50266	2.418886	0
3.53395	2.418741	0
3.56552	2.418597	0
3.59736	2.418454	0
3.6295	2.418311	0
3.66192	2.418169	0
3.69463	2.418027	0
3.72763	2.417886	0
3.76092	2.417745	0
3.79452	2.417605	0
3.82841	2.417465	0
3.86261	2.417325	0
3.89711	2.417186	0
3.93192	2.417046	0
3.96704	2.416907	0
4.00248	2.416768	0
4.03823	2.41663	0
4.0743	2.416491	0
4.11069	2.416352	0
4.14741	2.416213	0
4.18446	2.416074	0
4.22183	2.415935	0
4.25954	2.415796	0
4.29759	2.415656	0
4.33598	2.415516	0
4.37471	2.415376	0
4.41379	2.415236	0
4.45321	2.415095	0
4.49299	2.414953	0
4.53312	2.414811	0
4.57361	2.414669	0
4.61447	2.414525	0
4.65569	2.414382	0
4.69727	2.414237	0
4.73923	2.414092	0
4.78156	2.413946	0
4.82427	2.413799	0
4.86736	2.413651	0
4.91084	2.413502	0
4.95471	2.413352	0
4.99896	2.413202	0
5.04362	2.41305	0
5.08867	2.412897	0
5.13412	2.412742	0
5.17998	2.412587	0
5.22625	2.41243	0
5.27293	2.412272	0
5.32003	2.412112	0
5.36755	2.411951	0
5.4155	2.411789	0
5.46387	2.411624	0
5.51268	2.411459	0
5.56192	2.411291	0
5.6116	2.411122	0
5.66172	2.410951	0
5.71229	2.410778	0
5.76332	2.410603	0
5.8148	2.410426	0
5.86674	2.410248	0
5.91914	2.410067	0
5.97201	2.409884	0
6.02536	2.409698	0
6.07918	2.409511	0
6.13348	2.409321	0
6.18827	2.409129	0
6.24354	2.408934	0
6.29931	2.408736	0
6.35558	2.408536	0
6.41235	2.408334	0
6.46963	2.408128	0
6.52741	2.40792	0
6.58572	2.407709	0
6.64455	2.407494	0
6.7039	2.407277	0
6.76378	2.407057	0
6.8242	2.406833	0
6.88515	2.406606	0
6.94665	2.406376	0
7.0087	2.406142	0
7.07131	2.405905	0
7.13447	2.405664	0
7.1982	2.405419	0
7.26249	2.40517	0
7.32736	2.404918	0
7.39281	2.404662	0
7.45885	2.404401	0
7.52547	2.404137	0
7.59269	2.403868	0
7.66052	2.403594	0
7.72894	2.403317	0
7.79798	2.403034	0
7.86763	2.402747	0
7.93791	2.402455	0
8.00881	2.402159	0
8.08035	2.401857	0
8.15253	2.40155	0
8.22535	2.401238	0
8.29882	2.40092	0
8.37295	2.400597	0
8.44774	2.400269	0
8.5232	2.399935	0
8.59933	2.399594	0
8.67614	2.399248	0
8.75364	2.398896	0
8.83183	2.398537	0
8.91072	2.398172	0
8.99031	2.397801	0
9.07062	2.397423	0
9.15164	2.397037	0
9.23338	2.396645	0
9.31586	2.396246	0
9.39907	2.39584	0
9.48303	2.395425	0
9.56773	2.395004	0
9.65319	2.394574	0
9.73942	2.394137	0
9.82642	2.393691	0
9.91419	2.393237	0
10.0027	2.392774	0
10.0921	2.392303	0
10.1822	2.391822	0
10.2732	2.391333	0
10.365	2.390834	0
10.4575	2.390326	0
10.5509	2.389807	0
10.6452	2.389279	0
10.7403	2.388741	0
10.8362	2.388192	0
10.933	2.387632	0
11.0307	2.387061	0
11.1292	2.38648	0
11.2286	2.385886	0
11.3289	2.385281	0
11.4301	2.384664	0
11.5322	2.384035	0
11.6352	2.383393	0
11.7391	2.382738	0
11.844	2.38207	0
11.9498	2.381389	0
12.0565	2.380693	0
12.1642	2.379984	0
12.2729	2.37926	0
12.3825	2.378521	0
12.4931	2.377767	0
12.6047	2.376998	0
12.7173	2.376212	0
12.8309	2.375411	0
12.9455	2.374592	0
13.0611	2.373757	0
13.1778	2.372903	0
13.2955	2.372032	0
13.4143	2.371143	0
13.5341	2.370234	0
13.655	2.369306	0
13.7769	2.368359	0
13.9	2.367391	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: —

ZnSe (Zinc selenide): all datasets

Experimental data

Models and simulations

Adachi and Taguchi 1991: n,k 0.234–0.827 µm n,k 0.2339–0.8266 µm

About ZnSe (Zinc selenide)

Zinc selenide (ZnSe) is a binary compound semiconductor with a cubic zinc blende structure. This material is transparent in the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, with a wide direct bandgap of approximately 2.7 eV. Due to its transparency and high refractive index, ZnSe has become a popular choice for high-power infrared laser systems, especially CO₂ lasers, where ZnSe optics are used as output couplers and beam expanders. ZnSe can also be doped with various elements, most notably with chromium (Cr:ZnSe), to produce mid-infrared solid-state lasers. In addition, ZnSe is utilized in the fabrication of light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and solar cells.

More about ZnSe (Zinc selenide) →

Provenance

Version: 1 (snapshot c5c2f18)
Source page: refractiveindex.info
Original file: database/data/main/ZnSe/nk/Amotchkina.yml
ID: ds_72eb16755dc1
API: /v1/datasets/ds_72eb16755dc1

Plot