MODELS FOR FITTING REFRACTIVE INDEX n vs.

λ
Preferred equations are highlighted in GREEN. They have been identified as the most common equations used for
interpolation in several optical design programs or in books dealing with optical properties of materials.

There are many equations that have been used to represent the index of refraction of optical materials as a function of
wavelength. The earliest is the Cauchy equation, which dates back to 1836. Both Jenkins & White and Ditchburn
show the following general form:
B C
n ( λ ) = A + 2 + 4 + ⋅⋅⋅
λ λ
EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES
B C Refs: Smith, Angewandte
CAUCHY n (λ ) = A + +
λ 2
λ 4 used by TFCalc

Another group contains the CONRADY equations. These simple models are often used to fit sparse data. The first
appeared in Conrady’s book “Applied Optics and Optical Design (p. 659).

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

B C Refs: Smith, Angewandte
CONRADY1 n ( λ ) =A+ +
λ λ 3.5 used by OSLO, Opticad, TracePro, ZEMAX
B C
CONRADY2 n ( λ ) =A+ +
λ 2
λ 3.5

There is a family of equations based upon work by HELMHOLTZ. Jenkins & White show:
m
Ai λ 2
n ( λ ) = Ao + ∑
2

( λ − λi ) + Bi λ / ( λ − λi )
2 2 2 2 2
i =1

These equations are based on physical principles and can be very complex. They are rarely seen today.

1
The HARTMANN equation has the general form:
B
n (λ ) = A +
(C − λ )
D

where the exponent D assumes values between 1 and 2.

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES
B
HARTMANN 1 n (λ ) = A + used by TFCalc
(C − λ )
B
HARTMANN 2 n (λ ) = A + used by TFCalc
(C − λ )
2

Hartmann equations also appear in the following refs:

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES
B
HARTMANN3a n (λ ) = A + Ditchburn
(C − λ )
1.2

A
HARTMANN3b n= Luneberg
(λ − B )
1.2

B D
HARTMANN4 n (λ ) = A + + Smith and Angewandte
(C − λ ) ( E − λ )

2
HERZBERGER devised a useful equation for fitting over wide wavelength ranges. It comes in many guises. The
first is a 4-term Herzberger equation. The constant 0.028 represents a short wavelength corresponding to the high
frequency absorption edge, which is valid for a wide class of materials.

From this point we may add or subtract terms as needed. Five-term and six-term Herzberger equations are quite
common. It is also possible to change the constant 0.028 into variables K and L, and the number 0.035 is
occasionally seen.

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

C D
HERZBRGR2X2 n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + 2 + 2 Smith and Angewandt use 0.035 here
(λ -0.028) (λ -0.028) 2
D E
HERZBRGR3X2 n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + + 2 Laikin; used for LiF and Irtran2
(λ -0.028) (λ -0.028) 2
2

E F used by ZEMAX, Optalix, TracePro,

HERZBRGR4X2 n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + Dλ 6 + + 2
(λ -0.028) (λ -0.028)2
2
Opticad
D E F
HERZBRGR3X3 n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + + 2 + 2
(λ -0.028) (λ -0.028) (λ -0.028) 2
2 2

F G
HERZBRGR5X2 n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + Dλ 6 + Eλ 8 + 2 + 2
(λ -0.028) (λ -0.028) 2
E F
HERZBGRJK n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + Dλ 6 + + 2 2 J and/or K could be 0.035 or a variable
(λ -J) (λ -K)
2

3
SCHOTT Glasswerke devised a useful polynomial equation based on a Laurent series that has several variants.
The simplest has 5-terms. Better results are often achieved by adding more terms. A 6-term Schott equation, is
most common. A 7-term Schott equation is occasionally seen. Schott Glass abandoned these formulae in 1992, and
switched to a Sellmeier representation. These are still in widespread use elsewhere.

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

C D E
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +
2
SCHOTT2X3 + +
λ 2
λ 4
λ6
C D E F Ref Smith as “Old Schott”
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ +
2
SCHOTT2X4
2
+ + + used by ZEMAX, OSLO, Optalix,
λ2 λ4 λ6 λ8 TFCalc, TracePro, Opticad. Laikin 0
C D E F G Ref Angewandte, called
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +
2
SCHOTT2X5 + + + +
λ 2
λ 4
λ 6
λ 8
λ 10 glasherstellar
C D E F G H
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +
2
SCHOTT2X6 + + + + + Extended in Zemax
λ 2
λ 4
λ 6
λ 8
λ 10
λ 12
D E F
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +Cλ 4 +
2
SCHOTT3X3 + + Laikin 3 = polynomial
λ 2
λ 4
λ6
D E F G Ref Angewandte, called
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +Cλ 4 +
2
SCHOTT3X4 + + +
λ 2
λ 4
λ 6
λ 8 glasherstellar
D E F G H Ref Angewandte, called
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +Cλ 4 +
2
SCHOTT3X5 + + + +
λ 2
λ 4
λ 6
λ 8
λ 10 glasherstellar
E F G H
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + Dλ 6 +
2
SCHOTT4X4 + + + Extended 2 in Zemax
λ 2
λ 4
λ 6
λ8
F G H J K
n ( λ ) =A+Bλ 2 +Cλ 4 + Dλ 6 + Eλ 8 +
2
SCHOTT5X5 + + + + Extended Schott in TracePro
λ 2
λ 4
λ6 λ8 λ 10

4
The general SELLMEIER equation looks like:
Ai λ 2
n (λ ) − 1 = ∑
2

i λ − λi
2 2

where λi is a wavelength corresponding to an absorption edge. The simplest is a single-term with one wavelength
constant. The constant B in the denominator represent an absorption edge wavelengths, usually in the ultraviolet.

Higher-order Sellmeier equations add more terms; as many as four are commonly used and five have been seen. The
two-term Sellmeier equation adds an infrared wavelength constant D. Higher order terms are refinements to allow for
“soft” edges.

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

Aλ 2
n (λ ) − 1 = 2
2
SELL1T
λ − B2
Aλ 2 Cλ 2
n (λ ) − 1 = 2
2
SELL2T + ZEMAX, OSLO and TFCalc
λ − B2 λ 2 − D2
Sellmeier 1 in ZEMAX; also in OSLO,
Aλ 2 Cλ 2 Eλ 2
n (λ ) − 1 =
2
SELL3T + + Optalix, TracePro, Sellmeier 3 in TFCalc,
λ 2 − B2 λ 2 − D2 λ 2 − F 2 Opticad, Schott glass catalog, Laikin 1
Aλ 2 Cλ 2 Eλ 2 Gλ 2 Sellmeier 3 in TracePro
n (λ ) − 1 =
2
SELL4T + + +
λ 2 − B2 λ 2 − D2 λ 2 − F 2 λ 2 − H 2
Aλ 2 Cλ 2 Eλ 2 Gλ 2 Jλ2
n (λ ) − 1 = 2
2
SELL5T + + + + Sellmeier 5 in Zemax
λ − B2 λ 2 − D2 λ 2 − F 2 λ 2 − H 2 λ 2 − K 2

CAUTION
Some authors use a linear term (e.g., A) in the denominator of the Sellmeier terms, and others use a squared term
(e.g., A2). The term ”A” carries the dimension of wavelength and represents the wavelength of a resonance.
Occasionally, negative signs are seen between the Sellmeier terms. Neither are fundamentally flawed, but the signs
and magnitudes must be carefully chosen as seeds for most Levenberg-Marquardt non-linear curve-fitting routines.

5
The most obvious enhancement to the basic Sellmeier equation is to add a constant term to replace the 1.

EQN EQUATION NOTES

NAME
Bλ 2
n (λ ) = A +
2
SELL1TA Sellmeier 1 in TFCalc
λ2 − C2
Sellmeier 4 in ZEMAX and
Bλ 2 Dλ 2
n (λ )
2
SELL2TA = A+ 2 + TracePro; Sellmeier 2 in
λ − C2 λ2 − E2 TFCalc; Ghosh (C=C2, E=E2)
Bλ 2 Dλ 2 Fλ2
n (λ ) = A +
2
SELL3TA + +
λ 2 − C 2 λ 2 − E 2 λ 2 − G2
Bλ 2 Dλ 2 Fλ2 Hλ2 KCl in HoOII
n (λ ) = A + 2
2
SELL4TA + + +
λ − C 2 λ 2 − E 2 λ 2 − G2 λ 2 − J 2
Bλ 2 Dλ 2 Fλ 2 Hλ2 Kλ 2 KBr in HoOII
n (λ ) = A + 2
2
SELL5TA + + + +
λ − C 2 λ 2 − E 2 λ 2 − G2 λ 2 − J 2 λ 2 − M 2
Bλ 2 Dλ 2 Fλ 2 Hλ2 Kλ 2 Nλ 2 KI in HoOII
n (λ ) = A + 2
2
SELL6TA + + + + +
λ − C 2 λ 2 − E 2 λ 2 − G2 λ 2 − J 2 λ 2 − M 2 λ 2 − P2
Bλ 2 Dλ 2 Fλ 2 Hλ2 Kλ 2 Nλ2 Qλ 2 nAcL in HoOII
n (λ ) = A + 2
2
SELL7TA + + + + + +
λ − C 2 λ 2 − E 2 λ 2 − G 2 λ 2 − J 2 λ 2 − M 2 λ 2 − P2 λ 2 − R2

Other modifications on the basic and enhanced Sellmeier equations are also found. These are hybrid equations,
combinations of the Sellmeier equation with added terms characteristic of the Schott or Herzberger equations.
Several examples are shown below:

EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

C
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 +
2
HoO1 Handbook of Optics 1 in ZEMAX, TracePro
λ − D2
2

Cλ 2 Handbook of Optics 2 in ZEMAX &

n (λ )
2
HoO2 = A + Bλ 2 + 2
λ − D2 TracePro; Sellmeier 2’ in TFCalc

6
EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES
Dλ
2
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ + C λ 2 +
2
SELLMOD1 2
λ − E2
D
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ + Cλ 2 + 2
2
SELLMOD1A
λ − E2
Dλ 2
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + C λ 4 + 2
2
SELLMOD2
λ − E2
D
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + C λ 4 + 2
2
SELLMOD2A
λ − E2
Aλ 2 + B Dλ 2 ADP, KDP
n (λ ) = 2
2
SELLMOD3 +
λ − C2 λ2 − E2
C Dλ 2 Fλ2
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ + 2 + 2
2
SELLMOD4 2
+
λ λ − E 2 λ 2 − G2
C D F
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + 2 + 2 KBr
2
SELLMOD4A + 2
λ λ − E λ − G2 2

Cλ 2 Eλ 2 KNbO3 in HoOII
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + 2
2
SELLMOD5 +
λ − D2 λ 2 − F 2
Bλ 2 D Sellmeier 2 in ZEMAX, TracePro
n (λ ) = A + 2
2
SELLMOD6 + 2
λ − C λ − E2
2 and Opticad
D Eλ 2
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ + Cλ + 6 + 2
2
SELLMOD7 2 4

λ λ − F2
D E
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + Cλ 4 + 6 + 2
2
SELLMOD7A
λ λ − F2
D F
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + C λ 4 + 2
2
SELLMOD8 + 2
λ − E λ − G2
2

B C D Eλ 2
n (λ ) = A + 2 + 4 + 6 + 2
2
SELLMOD9
λ λ λ λ − F2

7
 EQN NAME EQUATION NOTES

B D
n (λ ) = A +
2
KINGSLAKE + 2 + ⋅⋅⋅⋅ General form
λ − C λ − E2
22

B D Smith calls this Kettler-Drude,

n (λ ) = A +
2
KINGSLAKE1 + 2 others call it Helmholzz- Drude.
λ − C λ − E2
2 2
used by Li for ZnS & ZnSe
B D F
n (λ ) = A +
2
KINGSLAKE2 + 2 + 2
λ − C λ − E λ − G2
2 2 2

B
n (λ ) = A +
2
MISC01 TiO2 in HoOII
λ − C2 2

C
n ( λ ) = A + Bλ 2 + 2
2
MISC02 HoOII(Ag3AsS3) HoO
λ − D2
B Cλ 2
n (λ ) = A + 2 + 2
2
MISC03 CuCl in HoOII
λ λ − D2
D Eλ 2
n (λ )
2
MISC04 = A + Bλ + Cλ + 2 + 2
2 4
Bausch and Lomb
λ λ − F +  Gλ 2 / ( λ 2 − F ) 
 
B/λ 2
D JOSA 54, 1215
n (λ ) = A +
2
MISC05 +
1 − λ / C E − 1/ λ 2
2

NOTE: The EQN NAME column identifies a .EQN equation file used in PSI-Plot. I use this program for non-linear
regression curve fitting using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm.

7/07/2005 1030 jmp