Introduction

Abstract

The designer of optical systems must base the selection of optical materials on a knowledge of optical, physical, thermal and mechanical properties. Frequently, the selection of the materials must result from a trade-off analysis as no one material has an ideal set of properties. This compilation of Optical Materials Properties Data Sheets summarizes the vital properties, needed to select an optical material for use in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Forty-nine materials are described in this compilation and each sheet of two pages presents the properties of a particular material. The listed properties are:

• Physical Properties: Density Melting/Softening Temperature Solubility in Water at Room Temperature

• Thermal Properties: Linear Expansion Coefficient Thermal Conductivity Specific Heat

• Mechanical Properties: Young’s Modulus Hardness

• Optical Properties: Transmittance Reflectance Refractive Index Extinction Coefficient or Absorption Coefficient Dispersion Coefficient Dispersion Equation

In some cases, even a thorough search of the literature did not yield data considered suitable for the data sheet and other useful plots are offered in place thereof. Most optical data are presented in graphical form as a function of wavelength. In some cases, wavenumber or photon energy are the independent variables, but conversion tables (Appendix A) will facilitate the use of these graphs. Optical terms are defined in Appendix B.