Optical constants

Refractive index of ZnSe (Zinc selenide)

Connolly et al. 1979: n 0.54–18.2 µm

Data: formula 1
Range: 0.54–18.2 µm
Licence: CC0-1.0

Axis Log x Log y

Click the plot to set the calculator wavelength.

At one wavelength

Refractive index n: 2.62436
Extinction coefficient k: 0

Permittivity ε₁: 6.88728
Permittivity ε₂: 0

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

Abbe number V_d: —
Chromatic dispersion dn/dλ: -0.867602 µm⁻¹

Group index n_g: 3.13417
Group velocity dispersion: 2474.51 fs²/mm

Dispersion parameter D: -13499.8 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): Connolly et al. 1979: n 0.54–18.2 µm
znse = ls.fetch_refractiveindex("main", "ZnSe", "Connolly", ref="c5c2f188e848453def5970e347399d653df2ffc2")
print(znse.range_nm)  # (540, 18200) 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_5392073e1a91/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/connolly-1979).

# ... 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=540, 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_5392073e1a91/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 (formula 1), λ in µm

n^{2} - 1 = \frac{4.45813734 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - {0.200859853}^{2}} + \frac{0.467216334 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - {0.391371166}^{2}} + \frac{2.8956629 λ^{2}}{λ^{2} - {47.1362108}^{2}}

Valid from 0.54 to 18.2 µm.

Coefficients as stored

C_i	Value
C1	0.0
C2	4.45813734
C3	0.200859853
C4	0.467216334
C5	0.391371166
C6	2.8956629
C7	47.1362108

Comments and conditions

CVD ZnSe, 23 °C

References

1) J. Connolly, B. diBenedetto, R. Donadio. Specifications of Raytran material. Proc. SPIE, 181, 141-144 (1979)
2) B. Tatian. Fitting refractive-index data with the Sellmeier dispersion formula. Appl. Opt. 23, 4477-4485 (1984)
*Ref. 2 provides a dispersion formula based on data from Ref. 1

doi:10.1117/12.957359 <title>Specifications Of Raytran Material</title>, SPIE Proceedings (1979)
doi:10.1364/ao.23.004477 Fitting refractive-index data with the Sellmeier dispersion formula, Applied Optics (1984)

Cite

J. Connolly, B. diBenedetto and R. Donadio. <title>Specifications Of Raytran Material</title>. SPIE Proceedings, 0181, 141-144 (1979), doi:10.1117/12.957359; Berge Tatian. Fitting refractive-index data with the Sellmeier dispersion formula. Applied Optics, 23, 4477 (1984), doi:10.1364/ao.23.004477; 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

ZnSe (Zinc selenide), Connolly et al. 1979: n 0.54–18.2 µm: n and k versus wavelength
λ (µm)	n
0.54	2.675407
0.544782	2.669203
0.549606	2.663235
0.554473	2.657489
0.559382	2.651952
0.564336	2.646611
0.569333	2.641455
0.574374	2.636475
0.579461	2.631661
0.584592	2.627005
0.589768	2.622498
0.594991	2.618134
0.600259	2.613905
0.605575	2.609805
0.610937	2.605828
0.616347	2.601969
0.621805	2.598223
0.627311	2.594584
0.632866	2.591049
0.63847	2.587612
0.644123	2.584271
0.649827	2.581021
0.655581	2.577858
0.661387	2.57478
0.667243	2.571783
0.673152	2.568865
0.679112	2.566021
0.685126	2.563251
0.691193	2.560551
0.697313	2.557918
0.703488	2.555352
0.709717	2.552848
0.716002	2.550406
0.722342	2.548022
0.728739	2.545697
0.735192	2.543426
0.741702	2.54121
0.74827	2.539045
0.754896	2.536931
0.76158	2.534867
0.768324	2.532849
0.775128	2.530878
0.781991	2.528952
0.788916	2.527069
0.795902	2.525229
0.802949	2.523429
0.81006	2.52167
0.817233	2.51995
0.824469	2.518267
0.83177	2.516621
0.839135	2.515011
0.846566	2.513435
0.854062	2.511894
0.861625	2.510385
0.869255	2.508909
0.876952	2.507464
0.884718	2.50605
0.892552	2.504665
0.900455	2.503309
0.908429	2.501982
0.916473	2.500682
0.924588	2.499409
0.932776	2.498163
0.941036	2.496942
0.949368	2.495746
0.957775	2.494574
0.966256	2.493426
0.974812	2.492301
0.983444	2.491199
0.992153	2.49012
1.00094	2.489061
1.0098	2.488024
1.01874	2.487008
1.02776	2.486012
1.03687	2.485035
1.04605	2.484078
1.05531	2.483139
1.06465	2.482219
1.07408	2.481317
1.08359	2.480433
1.09319	2.479566
1.10287	2.478715
1.11263	2.477881
1.12249	2.477063
1.13243	2.476261
1.14245	2.475474
1.15257	2.474702
1.16278	2.473945
1.17307	2.473202
1.18346	2.472474
1.19394	2.471759
1.20451	2.471058
1.21518	2.470369
1.22594	2.469694
1.2368	2.469032
1.24775	2.468381
1.2588	2.467743
1.26994	2.467117
1.28119	2.466503
1.29253	2.465899
1.30398	2.465307
1.31553	2.464726
1.32717	2.464156
1.33893	2.463596
1.35078	2.463046
1.36274	2.462506
1.37481	2.461976
1.38698	2.461455
1.39927	2.460944
1.41166	2.460443
1.42416	2.45995
1.43677	2.459466
1.44949	2.458991
1.46233	2.458524
1.47528	2.458066
1.48834	2.457615
1.50152	2.457173
1.51481	2.456738
1.52823	2.456312
1.54176	2.455892
1.55541	2.45548
1.56919	2.455075
1.58308	2.454677
1.5971	2.454286
1.61124	2.453902
1.62551	2.453525
1.6399	2.453154
1.65442	2.452789
1.66907	2.45243
1.68385	2.452078
1.69877	2.451731
1.71381	2.451391
1.72898	2.451056
1.74429	2.450727
1.75974	2.450403
1.77532	2.450084
1.79104	2.449771
1.8069	2.449463
1.8229	2.44916
1.83904	2.448862
1.85533	2.448569
1.87176	2.44828
1.88833	2.447997
1.90505	2.447717
1.92192	2.447442
1.93894	2.447172
1.95611	2.446906
1.97343	2.446644
1.99091	2.446386
2.00854	2.446132
2.02632	2.445882
2.04427	2.445635
2.06237	2.445393
2.08063	2.445154
2.09905	2.444918
2.11764	2.444687
2.13639	2.444458
2.15531	2.444233
2.1744	2.444011
2.19365	2.443793
2.21308	2.443577
2.23267	2.443365
2.25244	2.443155
2.27239	2.442948
2.29251	2.442745
2.31281	2.442544
2.33329	2.442345
2.35395	2.442149
2.3748	2.441956
2.39583	2.441766
2.41704	2.441578
2.43844	2.441392
2.46004	2.441208
2.48182	2.441027
2.5038	2.440848
2.52597	2.440671
2.54834	2.440496
2.5709	2.440323
2.59367	2.440152
2.61663	2.439984
2.6398	2.439816
2.66318	2.439651
2.68676	2.439488
2.71055	2.439326
2.73456	2.439166
2.75877	2.439007
2.7832	2.43885
2.80784	2.438694
2.83271	2.43854
2.85779	2.438387
2.8831	2.438236
2.90863	2.438086
2.93438	2.437937
2.96037	2.437789
2.98658	2.437643
3.01303	2.437497
3.03971	2.437353
3.06662	2.437209
3.09378	2.437067
3.12118	2.436925
3.14881	2.436785
3.1767	2.436645
3.20483	2.436506
3.23321	2.436367
3.26184	2.43623
3.29072	2.436093
3.31986	2.435956
3.34926	2.43582
3.37891	2.435685
3.40883	2.43555
3.43902	2.435415
3.46947	2.435281
3.50019	2.435147
3.53119	2.435014
3.56246	2.434881
3.594	2.434748
3.62583	2.434615
3.65793	2.434482
3.69033	2.434349
3.723	2.434217
3.75597	2.434084
3.78923	2.433951
3.82278	2.433819
3.85664	2.433686
3.89079	2.433552
3.92524	2.433419
3.96	2.433286
3.99506	2.433152
4.03044	2.433017
4.06613	2.432883
4.10213	2.432748
4.13846	2.432612
4.17511	2.432476
4.21208	2.432339
4.24937	2.432202
4.287	2.432064
4.32496	2.431926
4.36326	2.431786
4.4019	2.431646
4.44088	2.431505
4.4802	2.431363
4.51987	2.43122
4.5599	2.431077
4.60028	2.430932
4.64101	2.430786
4.68211	2.430639
4.72357	2.430491
4.7654	2.430341
4.80759	2.430191
4.85016	2.430039
4.89311	2.429885
4.93644	2.429731
4.98015	2.429574
5.02425	2.429417
5.06874	2.429257
5.11363	2.429097
5.15891	2.428934
5.20459	2.42877
5.25068	2.428603
5.29717	2.428436
5.34408	2.428266
5.3914	2.428094
5.43914	2.42792
5.48731	2.427744
5.5359	2.427566
5.58492	2.427386
5.63437	2.427204
5.68426	2.427019
5.7346	2.426832
5.78538	2.426642
5.83661	2.42645
5.88829	2.426256
5.94043	2.426058
5.99304	2.425859
6.0461	2.425656
6.09964	2.42545
6.15366	2.425242
6.20815	2.425031
6.26312	2.424816
6.31858	2.424598
6.37453	2.424378
6.43098	2.424154
6.48792	2.423926
6.54538	2.423695
6.60333	2.423461
6.66181	2.423223
6.7208	2.422981
6.78031	2.422736
6.84035	2.422487
6.90092	2.422234
6.96203	2.421976
7.02368	2.421715
7.08587	2.42145
7.14862	2.42118
7.21192	2.420906
7.27578	2.420627
7.34021	2.420343
7.40521	2.420055
7.47078	2.419762
7.53694	2.419465
7.60368	2.419162
7.67101	2.418854
7.73893	2.418541
7.80746	2.418222
7.8766	2.417898
7.94634	2.417569
8.01671	2.417233
8.0877	2.416892
8.15931	2.416545
8.23157	2.416192
8.30446	2.415832
8.37799	2.415466
8.45218	2.415094
8.52702	2.414715
8.60253	2.414329
8.67871	2.413936
8.75556	2.413536
8.83309	2.413129
8.91131	2.412714
8.99022	2.412292
9.06982	2.411862
9.15014	2.411425
9.23116	2.410979
9.31291	2.410525
9.39537	2.410062
9.47857	2.409591
9.5625	2.409111
9.64718	2.408622
9.7326	2.408124
9.81879	2.407616
9.90573	2.407099
9.99345	2.406572
10.0819	2.406035
10.1712	2.405488
10.2613	2.40493
10.3521	2.404362
10.4438	2.403782
10.5363	2.403191
10.6296	2.402589
10.7237	2.401975
10.8187	2.401349
10.9145	2.400711
11.0111	2.400061
11.1086	2.399397
11.207	2.398721
11.3062	2.398031
11.4064	2.397327
11.5074	2.396609
11.6093	2.395877
11.7121	2.39513
11.8158	2.394369
11.9204	2.393591
12.0259	2.392798
12.1324	2.391989
12.2399	2.391164
12.3483	2.390321
12.4576	2.389462
12.5679	2.388584
12.6792	2.387689
12.7915	2.386775
12.9047	2.385841
13.019	2.384889
13.1343	2.383916
13.2506	2.382923
13.3679	2.381909
13.4863	2.380874
13.6057	2.379816
13.7262	2.378736
13.8478	2.377633
13.9704	2.376506
14.0941	2.375355
14.2189	2.374179
14.3448	2.372978
14.4718	2.37175
14.6	2.370495
14.7293	2.369212
14.8597	2.367902
14.9913	2.366562
15.124	2.365192
15.2579	2.363792
15.3931	2.36236
15.5294	2.360895
15.6669	2.359398
15.8056	2.357866
15.9456	2.356299
16.0868	2.354696
16.2292	2.353056
16.3729	2.351378
16.5179	2.349661
16.6642	2.347903
16.8117	2.346104
16.9606	2.344262
17.1108	2.342376
17.2623	2.340445
17.4152	2.338467
17.5694	2.336441
17.725	2.334366
17.8819	2.332239
18.0403	2.33006
18.2	2.327827

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/Connolly.yml
ID: ds_5392073e1a91
API: /v1/datasets/ds_5392073e1a91

Plot