Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
16:11
Implementation of a Reference Interferometer for Nanodetection
Published on: April 26, 2014
Absolute refractive index measurement method over a broad wavelength region based on white-light interferometry
Seung Hwan Kim1, Seoung Hun Lee, Jae In Lim
1Inha University, 253 Yonghyun-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751, Korea.
Applied Optics
|February 16, 2010
Summary
This study presents a simple white-light interferometric method for accurately measuring the absolute phase refractive index of optical materials. The technique is validated for fused silica and BK7, offering a wide spectral range in a single run.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Accurate measurement of optical material properties is crucial for various applications.
- Existing methods for refractive index measurement can be complex or limited in spectral range.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple and accurate method for measuring the absolute phase refractive index of optical materials.
- To cover a wide spectral range in a single measurement run.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a white-light interferometric technique.
- Employed angle rotation of an optical plate sample within the interferometer.
- Measured absolute phase refractive index of fused silica and BK7 flat plates.
Main Results:
- Successfully measured absolute phase refractive indices for fused silica and BK7.
- Validated the method against established Sellmeier dispersion formulas.
- Achieved an accuracy of 0.002 in refractive index measurement.
Conclusions:
- The developed white-light interferometric method is effective for measuring absolute phase refractive index.
- The accuracy can be further improved by enhancing the angle measurement precision.
- This technique offers a simple and efficient approach for optical material characterization.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy: Overview
Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique used to study the composition of materials. It is widely employed in chemistry, materials science, forensic science, and other fields where sample characterization is required. ATR has several advantages over traditional transmission IR spectroscopy, including the requirement of little to no sample preparation and the ability to analyze a wide range of samples.
The ATR process begins by directing a beam...
The ATR process begins by directing a beam...
01:25IR Spectrometers
There are two main infrared (IR) spectrophotometers: dispersive IR spectrometers and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers. In a dispersive IR spectrometer, a beam of infrared radiation produced by a hot wire is divided into two parallel equal-intensity beams using mirrors. One beam passes through the sample, while another is a reference beam. The beams then move through the monochromator, which separates the radiations into a continuous spectrum of different frequencies. The...
01:09Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
When electromagnetic radiation passes through a material, atoms or molecules transition from a lower to a higher energy state by absorbing radiation corresponding to the energy difference between the two states. The absorption of infrared (IR) radiation causes transitions between vibrational energy levels in a molecule. Therefore, IR spectroscopy is a useful analytical tool for determining the molecular structure of molecules.
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
01:05Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy
Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy or TIRF is an advanced microscopic technique used to visualize fluorophores in samples close to a solid surface with a higher refractive index, such as a glass coverslip. TIRF only allows fluorophores in proximity to the solid surface to be excited. When light from a medium with a lower refractive index (such as air) hits the glass coverslip at a critical angle, the light undergoes total internal reflection stead of passing through the glass.
01:30Electronic Distance Measuring Instruments
Electronic Distance Measuring Instruments (EDMs) are essential tools in modern surveying, offering precise distance measurements by emitting electromagnetic signals and calculating the time required for these signals to travel to a target and return. Two primary types of signals are used in EDMs — light waves and microwaves — each suited to specific environmental and distance requirements. Light-wave-based EDMs utilize either infrared or laser light, providing high accuracy over short distances...