Influence of absorption on the refractive index determination accuracy by the minimum deviation method

Area of Science:

• Optics
• Materials Science
• Computational Physics

Background:

• The minimum deviation method is a standard technique for determining the refractive index (n) of optical materials.
• The influence of material absorption (κ) on the accuracy of refractive index determination using this method is not always fully considered.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the absorption index (κ) on the accuracy of refractive index (n) determination via the minimum deviation method.
• To evaluate the significance of absorption in refractive index calculations across various angular measurement accuracies.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulations were employed to model the minimum deviation method.
• The study considered a range of refractive indices (n: 1.0-4.0) and absorption indices (κ: 0-0.1).
• Simulations were performed for angular measurement accuracies ranging from 5 arcseconds to 0.1 arcseconds.

Main Results:

• For most optical materials, neglecting absorption in refractive index calculations results in errors smaller than those from angular measurement inaccuracies.
• The difference in calculated refractive index values with and without considering absorption is typically negligible in the optical range.
• However, the total error in refractive index determination increases when absorption is accounted for compared to when it is neglected.

Conclusions:

• For optical materials, the refractive index can often be accurately determined by the minimum deviation method while neglecting absorption.
• Improved angular measurement accuracy and detector sensitivity necessitate advanced calculation techniques for precise refractive index and error determination.
• The proposed calculation method aids in optimizing prism angle and accurately calculating refractive index values and their associated errors.