A critical angle method was used to measure the index of refraction of a solid medium when an air gap between the prism and the medium is present. The gap effect was analyzed both numerically and experimentally. Since the total internal reflection is severely disturbed by the large gap, determination of the critical angle and the resulting refractive index becomes ambiguous and inaccurate. By using an index matching fluid, we could determine the index of refraction with an uncertainty of <TEX>${\pm}2{\times}1^{-3}$</TEX> even when the gap is as large as 1 <TEX>${\mu}m$</TEX>.

© 2008 Optical Society of Korea

1. G. P. Agrawal, Nonlinear fiber optics (Academic Press, San Diego 1989), Ch. 3
2. R. W. Boyd, Nonlinear optics (Academic Press, San Diego 1992), Ch. 2
3. N. E. Yu, Y. Lee, C. Jung, and J. Lee, "Efficient singlepass optical parametric generation and amplification using a periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate," J. Opt. Soc. Korea, vol. 11, no 4, pp. 192-195, 2007
4. W. L. Bond, "Measurement of the refractive indices of several crystals," J. Appl. Phys., vol. 36, pp. 1674-1677, 1965 [CrossRef]
5. M. S. Shumate, "Interferometric Measurement of Large Indices of Refraction," Appl. Opt., vol. 5, no.2, pp. 327-331, 1966
6. J. F. H. Nicholls, B. Henderson, and B. H. T. Chai, "Accurate determination of the indices of refraction of nonlinear optical crystals," Appl. Opt. vol. 36, no. 33, pp. 8587-8594, 1997 [CrossRef]
7. U. Schlarb and K. Betzler, "Interferometric measurement of refractive indices of <TEX>$LiNbO_3$</TEX>," Ferroelectrics, vol. 126, no. 1, pp. 39-44, 1992
8. T. Yamaguchi and H. Takahashi, "Ellipsometric method for separate measurements of n and d of a transparent film," Appl. Opt., vol. 14, no. 8, pp. 2010-2015, 1975
9. A. C. Adams, D. P. Schinke, and C. D. Capio, "An evaluation of the prism coupler for measuring the thickness and refractive index of dielectric films on silicon substrates,"J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 126, pp. 1539-1543, 1979 [CrossRef]
10. R. Ulrich and R. Torge, "Measurement of Thin Film Parameters with a Prism Coupler," Appl. Opt., vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 2901-2908, 1973
11. www.atago.net
12. H. Li and S. Xie, "Measurement method of the refractive index of biotissue by total internal reflection," Appl. Opt., vol. 35, no.10, pp. 1793-1795, 1996
13. Q. W. Song, C. Y. Ku, C. Zhang, R. B. Gross, R. R. Birge, and R. Michalak, "Modified critical angle method for measuring the refractive index of bio-optical materials and its application to bacteriorhodopsin," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B., vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 797-803, 1995
14. H. Onodera, I. Awai, and J. Ikenoue, "Refractive-index measurement of bulk materials: prism coupling method," Appl. Opt., vol. 22, no. 8, pp. 1194-1197, 1983
15. J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, <TEX>$3^{rd}$</TEX> ed. (John Wiley and Sons, New York 1999), Ch. 7
16. I. H. Malitson, "Interspecimen comparison of the refractive index of fused silica," J. Opt. Soc. Am., vol. 55, pp. 1205-1209, 1965
17. J. H. Wray and J. T. Neu, "Refrective index of several glasses as a. function of wavelength and temperature," J. Opt. Soc. Am., vol. 59, pp. 774-776, 1969
18. B. Edlen,"The refractive index of air,"Metrologia, vol. 2, pp. 71-80, 1966 [CrossRef]
19. www.nist.gov

Appl. Opt.

• M. S. Shumate, "Interferometric Measurement of Large Indices of Refraction," Appl. Opt., vol. 5, no.2, pp. 327-331, 1966
• T. Yamaguchi and H. Takahashi, "Ellipsometric method for separate measurements of n and d of a transparent film," Appl. Opt., vol. 14, no. 8, pp. 2010-2015, 1975
• R. Ulrich and R. Torge, "Measurement of Thin Film Parameters with a Prism Coupler," Appl. Opt., vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 2901-2908, 1973
• H. Li and S. Xie, "Measurement method of the refractive index of biotissue by total internal reflection," Appl. Opt., vol. 35, no.10, pp. 1793-1795, 1996
• H. Onodera, I. Awai, and J. Ikenoue, "Refractive-index measurement of bulk materials: prism coupling method," Appl. Opt., vol. 22, no. 8, pp. 1194-1197, 1983

Applied Optics

• J. F. H. Nicholls, B. Henderson, and B. H. T. Chai, "Accurate determination of the indices of refraction of nonlinear optical crystals," Appl. Opt. vol. 36, no. 33, pp. 8587-8594, 1997 [CrossRef]

Ferroelectrics

• U. Schlarb and K. Betzler, "Interferometric measurement of refractive indices of <TEX>$LiNbO_3$</TEX>," Ferroelectrics, vol. 126, no. 1, pp. 39-44, 1992

J. Appl. Phys.

• W. L. Bond, "Measurement of the refractive indices of several crystals," J. Appl. Phys., vol. 36, pp. 1674-1677, 1965 [CrossRef]

J. Electrochem. Soc.

• A. C. Adams, D. P. Schinke, and C. D. Capio, "An evaluation of the prism coupler for measuring the thickness and refractive index of dielectric films on silicon substrates,"J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 126, pp. 1539-1543, 1979 [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am.

• I. H. Malitson, "Interspecimen comparison of the refractive index of fused silica," J. Opt. Soc. Am., vol. 55, pp. 1205-1209, 1965
• J. H. Wray and J. T. Neu, "Refrective index of several glasses as a. function of wavelength and temperature," J. Opt. Soc. Am., vol. 59, pp. 774-776, 1969

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B.

• Q. W. Song, C. Y. Ku, C. Zhang, R. B. Gross, R. R. Birge, and R. Michalak, "Modified critical angle method for measuring the refractive index of bio-optical materials and its application to bacteriorhodopsin," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B., vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 797-803, 1995

J. Opt. Soc. Korea

• N. E. Yu, Y. Lee, C. Jung, and J. Lee, "Efficient singlepass optical parametric generation and amplification using a periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate," J. Opt. Soc. Korea, vol. 11, no 4, pp. 192-195, 2007

Metrologia

• B. Edlen,"The refractive index of air,"Metrologia, vol. 2, pp. 71-80, 1966 [CrossRef]

Other

• www.nist.gov
• www.atago.net
• G. P. Agrawal, Nonlinear fiber optics (Academic Press, San Diego 1989), Ch. 3
• R. W. Boyd, Nonlinear optics (Academic Press, San Diego 1992), Ch. 2
• J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, <TEX>$3^{rd}$</TEX> ed. (John Wiley and Sons, New York 1999), Ch. 7

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