Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids

While bits and pieces of the index of refraction n and extinction coefficient k for a given material can be found in several handbooks, the Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids gives for the first time a single set of n and k values over the broadest spectral range (ideally from x-ray to mm-wave region). The critiquers have chosen the numbers for you, based on their own broad experience in the study of optical properties. Whether you need one number at one wavelength or many numbers at many wavelengths, what is available in the literature is condensed down into a single set of numbers.


* Contributors have decided the best values for n and k
* References in each critique allow the reader to go back to the original data to examine and understand where the values have come from
* Allows the reader to determine if any data in a spectral region needs to be filled in
* Gives a wide and detailed view of experimental techniques for measuring the optical constants n and k
* Incorporates and describes crystal structure, space-group symmetry, unit-cell dimensions, number of optic and acoustic modes, frequencies of optic modes, the irreducible representation, band gap, plasma frequency, and static dielectric constant

Edward D. Palik received his B.S. in Physics 1950, his M.S. in 1952, and his Ph.D. in 1955 from Ohio State University. He specialized in far-infrared spectroscopy and was assistant professor at Ohio State University during 1955-1956. He was a NSF fellow at the University of Michigan in 1956 and 1957 and a General Motors Fellow at Ohio State University from 1957-1958. He became an NRC Fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory in 1958 and soon converted to a research physicist in 1959. During the rest of his career at NRL he worked in magnetooptics of semiconductors, for which he was awarded the Hulburt Award in 1964. This is the highest internal scientific award given at the Naval Research Laboratory. He also worked on the optical properties of semiconductors, total-internal-reflection spectroscopy studies of surface polaritons, cathodoluminescence studies of solids, and orientation-dependent etching of silicon in aqueous potassium-hydroxide solutions.He was editor for the first years of the newsletter of the Far Infrared and Submillimeter Wave Technical Group of the OSA. After his retirement in 1988, he joined the Institute for Physical Science and Technology at the University of Maryland as a part-time research associate. While there he carried out Brillouin-scattering studies of solids and studies of defects in Fabry Perot plates.

Edward D. Palik received his B.S. in Physics 1950, his M.S. in 1952, and his Ph.D. in 1955 from Ohio State University. He specialized in far-infrared spectroscopy and was assistant professor at Ohio State University during 1955-1956. He was a NSF fellow at the University of Michigan in 1956 and 1957 and a General Motors Fellow at Ohio State University from 1957-1958. He became an NRC Fellow at the Naval Research Laboratory in 1958 and soon converted to a research physicist in 1959. During the rest of his career at NRL he worked in magnetooptics of semiconductors, for which he was awarded the Hulburt Award in 1964. This is the highest internal scientific award given at the Naval Research Laboratory. He also worked on the optical properties of semiconductors, total-internal-reflection spectroscopy studies of surface polaritons, cathodoluminescence studies of solids, and orientation-dependent etching of silicon in aqueous potassium-hydroxide solutions.He was editor for the first years of the newsletter of the Far Infrared and Submillimeter Wave Technical Group of the OSA. After his retirement in 1988, he joined the Institute for Physical Science and Technology at the University of Maryland as a part-time research associate. While there he carried out Brillouin-scattering studies of solids and studies of defects in Fabry Perot plates.