Hello researchers!
While studying the literature on refractive index sensors, most of the articles simulate their devices with a refractive index ranging from 1 to 1.1, with small steps in between. My question is, how these values can be realized practically? Is there a list of materials with such refractive index values? Or, can you indicate any literature that has covered such an issue? Or, is there any reason that most of the articles are choosing this range?
Thanks in advance.
dear Infiter Tathfif ,
welcome!
Adding to the colleagues above the refractive index is equal to the sqroot of the dielectric consatnt epsilonr. The refractive index of the vacuum is equal to 1.
By adding gas molecules in the space its refractive index will be greater than one.
As the gas concentrations increases its refractive index increases.
Best wishes
The sensors you referred are likely gas sensors because the refractive index of most gases are between 1 to 1.1. The refractive index of common materials such as gas, liquid and solid lists are below.
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/refractive-index-d_1264.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_refractive_indices
Please be aware of that the refractive indices of materials are wavelengths dependant.
Aerogels can be prepared with refractive indices in the range you mention.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel
Silica aerogels with refractive index from 1.0026 to 1.26 are described by Makoto Tabata et. al.: "Development of transparent silica aerogel over a wide range of densities", University of Chiba, 2011 preprint: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1112.5084
There is a 2020 review published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, with many references to the literature: Jieyu Wang et. al, "Transparent thermal insulation silica aerogels", Nanoscale Adv., 2020, 2, 5504-5515. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2020/na/d0na00655f
Or just try: https://www.google.com/search?q=aerogel+refractive+index&oq=aerogel
Both the answers of Alan Robinson and Yaser Khorrami contain useful references.
And, Thanks to all for providing different insightful answers!
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