refractive index

noun

, Optics.

1. index of refraction.

refractive index

noun

1. physics a measure of the extent to which radiation is refracted on passing through the interface between two media. It is the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction, which can be shown to be equal to the ratio of the phase speed in the first medium to that in the second. In the case of electromagnetic radiation, esp light, it is usual to give values of the absolute refractive index of a medium, that is for radiation entering the medium from free space νμ

Word History and Origins

Origin of refractive index¹

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

The ensemble was excited by a linearly polarized green laser with a wavelength of 532 nanometers, and a high refractive index hemispherical lens was used to enhance the collection efficiency of the laser-induced fluorescence.

From Science Daily

"Excitons are very sensitive to the charge density in the material, and therefore we can change the refractive index of the material by applying a voltage," says Van de Groep.

From Science Daily

However, the resin utilized as the printing material suffers from a drawback -- a low refractive index, hindering efficient light manipulation.

From Science Daily

In this case, the refractive index of the material, or how much light bends or deviates from its original path when is passes through, changed dramatically with atomic disorder.

From Science Daily

To address this limitation, the team developed a material with a high refractive index and low loss for the infrared region.

From Science Daily