- •Preface
- •The Author
- •Contributors
- •Table of Contents
- •1.1 Introduction*
- •1.2.1 Isotropic Crystals
- •1.2.2 Uniaxial Crystals
- •1.2.3 Biaxial Crystals
- •1.3.1 Isotropic Crystals
- •1.3.2 Uniaxial Crystals
- •1.3.3 Biaxial Crystals
- •1.3.4 Dispersion Formulas for Refractive Indices
- •1.3.5 Thermooptic Coefficients
- •1.4 Mechanical Properties
- •1.4.1 Elastic Constants
- •1.4.2 Elastic Moduli
- •1.4.3 Engineering Data
- •1.5 Thermal Properties
- •1.5.1 Melting Point, Heat Capacity, Thermal Expansion, and Thermal Conductivity
- •1.5.2 Temperature Dependence of Heat Capacity for Selected Solids
- •1.5.3 Debye Temperature
- •1.6 Magnetooptic Properties
- •1.6.1 Diamagnetic Materials
- •1.6.2 Paramagnetic Materials
- •1.6.3 Ferromagnetic, Antiferromagnetic, and Ferrimagnetic Materials
- •1.7 Electrooptic Properties
- •1.7.1 Linear Electrooptic Coefficients
- •1.7.2 Quadratic Electrooptic Materials
- •1.8 Elastooptic Properties
- •1.8.1 Elastooptic Coefficients
- •1.8.2 Acoustooptic Materials
- •1.9 Nonlinear Optical Properties
- •1.9.1 Nonlinear Refractive Index*
- •1.9.2 Two-Photon Absorption*
- •1.9.3 Second Harmonic Generation Coefficients
- •1.9.4 Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Coefficients
- •1.9.5 Optical Phase Conjugation Materials*
- •2.1 Introduction
- •2.2 Commercial Optical Glasses
- •2.2.1 Optical Properties
- •2.2.3 Mechanical Properties
- •2.2.4 Thermal Properties
- •2.3 Specialty Optical Glasses
- •2.3.1 Optical Properties
- •2.3.2 Mechanical Properties
- •2.3.3 Thermal Properties
- •2.4 Fused (Vitreous) Silica*
- •2.5 Fluoride Glasses
- •2.5.1 Fluorozirconate Glasses
- •2.5.2 Fluorohafnate Glasses
- •2.5.3 Other Fluoride Glasses
- •2.6 Chalcogenide Glasses
- •2.7 Magnetooptic Properties
- •2.7.1 Diamagnetic Glasses
- •2.7.2 Paramagnetic Glasses
- •2.8 Electrooptic Properties
- •2.9 Elastooptic Properties
- •2.10 Nonlinear Optical Properties
- •2.10.1 Nonlinear Refractive Index*
- •2.10.2 Two-Photon Absorption
- •2.10.3 Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Coefficients
- •2.10.4 Brillouin Phase Conjugation
- •2.11 Special Glasses
- •2.11.1 Filter Glasses
- •2.11.2 Laser Glasses
- •2.11.3 Faraday Rotator Glasses
- •2.11.4 Gradient-Index Glasses
- •2.11.5 Mirror Substrate Glasses
- •2.11.6 Athermal Glasses
- •2.11.7 Acoustooptic Glasses
- •2.11.8 Abnormal Dispersion Glass
- •3.1 Optical Plastics
- •3.2 Index of Refraction
- •3.3 Nonlinear Optical Properties
- •3.4 Thermal Properties
- •3.5 Engineering Data
- •4.1 Physical Properties of Selected Metals
- •4.2 Optical Properties
- •4.3 Mechanical Properties
- •4.4 Thermal Properties
- •4.5 Mirror Substrate Materials
- •5.1 Introduction
- •5.2 Water
- •5.2.1 Physical Properties
- •5.2.2 Absorption
- •5.2.3 Index of Refraction
- •5.3 Physical Properties of Selected Liquids
- •5.3.1 Thermal conductivity
- •5.3.2 Viscosity
- •5.3.3 Surface Tension
- •5.3.4 Absorption
- •5.4 Index of Refraction
- •5.4.1 Organic Liquids
- •5.4.2 Inorganic Liquids
- •5.4.3 Calibration Liquids
- •5.4.4 Abnormal Dispersion Liquids
- •5.5 Nonlinear Optical Properties
- •5.5.1 Two-Photon Absorption Cross Sections
- •5.5.2 Nonlinear Refraction
- •5.5.3 Kerr Constants
- •5.5.4 Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Coefficients
- •5.5.5 Stimulated Raman Scattering
- •5.5.6 Stimulated Brillouin Scattering
- •5.6 Magnetooptic Properties
- •5.6.1 Verdet Constants of Inorganic Liquids
- •5.6.2 Verdet Constants of OrganicLiquids
- •5.6.3 Dispersion of the Verdet Constants
- •5.7 Commercial Optical Liquids
- •6.1 Introduction
- •6.2 Physical Properties of Selected Gases
- •6.3 Index of Refraction
- •6.4 Nonlinear Optical Properties
- •6.4.2 Two-Photon Absorption
- •6.5 Magnetooptic Properties
- •6.6 Atomic Resonance Filters
- •Appendices
- •Safe Handling of Optical Materials
- •Fundamental Physical Constants
- •Units and Conversion Factors
1.2 Physical Properties*
Physical properties of optical crystals in this section are grouped into three tables: isotropic crystals, uniaxial crystals, and biaxial crystals. Materials are listed alphabetically in order of the chemical formulas. The following properties are included:
Density: Data are for room temperature.
Hardness: This is an empirical and relative measure of a material’s resistance to wear. Average Knoop (indentation test) hardness numbers or range of values at room temperature are given when available. In many cases only Vicker (V) or Mohs hardness are known. This is indicated parentheses after the value. The hardness of a crystal varies with orientation even for cubic symmetry crystals.
Cleavage: The ease of cleavage varies greatly depending on the crystal quality and the nature and direction of stress applied. In many crystals there can be more than one set of cleavage planes. Miller indices are used to denote the cleavage planes. The actual number of cleavage planes depends on the plane orientation relative to the symmetry of the crystal. Only the easiest cleavage plane for each crystal is listed. They are ranked qualitatively as perfect (p) or imperfect (i). A crystal listed with a perfect cleavage plane can crack along that direction with a smooth surface if a stress is applied. The imperfect cleavage plane means that the crack does not easily move along the plane, although a small area of oriented flat surfaces may form along the cracking surface when the crystal is fractured.
Solubility: Solubility is defined as the weight loss in grams per 100 grams of water. The dissolution temperature in °C is included in parentheses, if given. If the solubility is less than 10-3 g/100 g, the material is generally considered to be insoluble. If a crystal is listed as insoluble, it means that, when submerged in water with a reasonable amount of time (a day or so), no noticeable loss of weight nor visible surface erosion of the crystal is observed.
* This section was adapted from “Optical Crystals” by B. H. T. Chai, Handbook of Laser Science and Technology, Suppl. 2, Optical Materials (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1995), p. 30 ff (with additions).
1.2.1 Isotropic Crystals
Physical Properties of Isotropic Crystalline Materials
Cubic |
Density |
Hardness |
Cleavage |
Solubility (ºC) |
material |
(g/cm3) |
(kg/mm2) |
plane |
(g/100 g H2O) |
AgBr |
6.473 |
7 |
None |
1.2 × 10–5 (20) |
AgCl |
5.56 |
9.5 |
None |
1.5 × 10–4 (20) |
AlAs |
3.729 |
– |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
Al23O27N5 (ALON) |
3.713 |
1850 |
– |
Insoluble |
AlP |
2.40 |
– |
– |
Slightly soluble |
AlSb |
4.26 |
– |
– |
|
As2O3 |
3.87 |
1.5 (Mohs) |
(111) |
Soluble |
Ba(NO3)2 |
3.24 |
– |
None |
Soluble |
Ba2Zr2Si3O12 |
– |
– |
– |
Insoluble |
Ba3Al2O6 |
5.008 |
– |
– |
– |
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Physical Properties of Isotropic Crystalline Materials—continued
Cubic |
Density |
Hardness |
Cleavage |
Solubility (ºC) |
|
material |
(g/cm3) |
(kg/mm2) |
plane |
(g/100 g H2O) |
|
Ba3MgTa2O9 |
6.435 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
BaF2 |
4.83 |
82(500) |
(111)-p |
0.12 |
|
BaF2-CaF2 |
4.89 |
– |
|
(111)-p |
0.16 |
Bi12GeO20 |
9.22 |
4.5(Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Bi12SiO20 |
9.20 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Bi12TiO20 |
9.069 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Bi4Ge3O12 |
7.13 |
5.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Bi4Si3O12 |
6.60 |
4.5 (Mohs) |
(110)-i |
Insoluble |
|
BN |
3.48 |
4600 |
|
(111) |
Insoluble |
BP |
2.97 |
3600 |
|
– |
Insoluble |
C (diamond) |
3.51 |
5700–10400 |
(111) |
Insoluble |
|
Ca12Al14O33 |
2.68 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca2LiMg2V3O12 |
3.447 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Ca2LiZn2V3O12 |
3.726 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Ca2NaMg2V3O12 |
3.414 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Ca2NaZn2V3O12 |
3.976 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Ca2Sb2O7 |
– |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Al2Ge3O12 |
4.357 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Al2Si3O12 |
3.60 |
7 |
(Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Ga2Ge3O12 |
4.837 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Gd(PO4)3 |
3.900 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Ca3In2Ge3O12 |
5.063 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3La(PO4)3 |
3.678 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Ca3Lu2Ge3O12 |
5.668 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Sc2Ge3O12 |
4.203 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Ca3Sc2Si3O12 |
3.514 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
CaF2 |
3.180 |
158 |
|
(111)-p |
1.6 × 10–3 (18) |
CaLa2S4 |
4.524 |
570 |
|
– |
– |
CaO |
3.3 |
3.5 |
(100)-p |
0.13(10) |
|
CaTiO3 |
3.98 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
CaY2Mg3Ge3O12 |
– |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Cd2Nb2O7 |
6.216 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Cd2Sb2O7 |
– |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Cd3Sc2Ge3O12 |
5.749 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
CdB2O4 |
4.58 |
– |
|
– |
– |
CdF2 |
6.64 |
– |
|
(111)-p |
4.4 (20) |
CdGa2O4 |
– |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
CdIn2O4 |
7.00 |
– |
|
None |
– |
CdO |
8.24 |
3 |
(Mohs) |
(111) |
– |
CdTe |
6.20 |
56 |
|
(110)-p |
Very slightly soluble |
Cs2KLaF6 |
3.95 |
– |
|
None |
Slightly soluble |
Cs2NaYF6 |
4.397 |
– |
|
None |
Slightly soluble |
CsBr |
4.44 |
19.5 |
None |
124 (25) |
|
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Physical Properties of Isotropic Crystalline Materials—continued
Cubic |
Density |
Hardness |
Cleavage |
Solubility (ºC) |
material |
(g/cm3) |
(kg/mm2) |
plane |
(g/100 g H2O) |
CsCaF3 |
4.123 |
– |
– |
Slightly soluble |
CsCdF3 |
5.62 |
– |
– |
– |
CsCl |
3.9 |
– |
None |
186 (20) |
CsF |
4.638 |
– |
(100)-p |
367 (18) |
CsI |
4.510 |
1–2 (Mohs) |
None |
44 (0) |
CsSrF3 |
4.299 |
– |
– |
– |
Cu2O |
6.11 |
3.5 (Mohs) |
(111)-i |
Insoluble |
CuBr |
4.77 |
21 |
– |
Very slightly soluble |
CuCl |
4.14 |
2.5 (Mohs) |
(110)-p |
6.1 × 10–3 |
CuI |
5.68 |
2.5 (Mohs) |
(110)-p |
– |
GaAs |
5.316 |
721 |
(111)-p |
<5 × 10–3 (25) |
GaP |
4.13 |
– |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
GaSb |
5.619 |
– |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
Gd2Ti2O7 |
6.52 |
1114 |
None |
Insoluble |
Gd3Ga5O12 |
7.02 |
6.5–7(Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
Gd3Sc2Al3O12 |
5.82 |
7.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
Gd3Sc2Ga3O12 |
– |
7.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
Ge |
5.35 |
800 |
(111) |
Insoluble |
Hg2Sb2O7 |
– |
– |
None |
Insoluble |
HgSe |
8.266 |
– |
– |
Insoluble |
HgTe |
– |
– |
– |
– |
InAs |
5.66 |
330 |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
InP |
4.8 |
430 |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
InSb |
5.78 |
225 |
(111)-p |
Insoluble |
K2Mg2(SO4)3 |
2.83 |
3.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Slightly soluble |
K2NaAlF6 |
2.99 |
2.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Slightly soluble |
K2NaGaF6 |
3.34 |
– |
None |
Slightly soluble |
K3AlF6 |
– |
– |
None |
Soluble |
KBr |
2.75 |
7.0(200) |
(100)-p |
65.2 (20) |
KCaF3 |
2.709 |
– |
– |
– |
KCdF3 |
4.264 |
– |
– |
– |
KCl |
1.984 |
9.3(200) |
(100)-p |
34.7 (20) |
KF |
2.48 |
2 (Mohs) |
(100)-p |
92.3 (18) |
KI |
3.12 |
5 |
(100)-p |
144 (20) |
KMgF3 |
3.15 |
2.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
KTaO3 |
7.015 |
– |
– |
Insoluble |
KY3F10 |
4.312 |
4.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
La3Lu2Ga3O12 |
– |
7.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
Li2BeF4 |
2.289 |
– |
– |
– |
Li2CdCl4 |
2.956 |
– |
– |
– |
Li2MgCl4 |
2.119 |
– |
– |
– |
LiAl5O8 |
3.625 |
– |
None |
Insoluble |
LiBaF3 |
5.242 |
– |
– |
– |
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Physical Properties of Isotropic Crystalline Materials—continued
Cubic |
Density |
Hardness |
Cleavage |
Solubility (ºC) |
|
material |
(g/cm3) |
(kg/mm2) |
plane |
(g/100 g H2O) |
|
LiBr |
3.464 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
145 (4) |
LiCl |
2.068 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
63.7 (0) |
LiF |
2.635 |
110 |
(600) |
(100)-p |
0.27 (18) |
LiGa5O8 |
5.819 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
LiI |
4.076 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
168 (20) |
Lu2O3 |
9.426 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Lu2Ti2O7 |
7.31 |
1264 |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Lu3Al5O12 |
6.695 |
7.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Lu3Ga5O12 |
7.828 |
7.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Lu3Sc2Ga3O12 |
– |
7.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
LuScO3 |
– |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Mg2TiO4 |
3.546 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Mg3Al2Si3O12 |
3.58 |
7.5 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
MgAl2O4 |
3.58 |
1140 (1000) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
MgGa2O4 |
5.37 |
7.0 (Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
MgO |
3.58 |
690 |
(600) |
(100)-p |
6.2 × 10–4 |
MnO |
5.44 |
5.5 (Mohs) |
(100)-p |
Insoluble |
|
Na2BiMg2V3O12 |
4.388 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na2BiZn2V3O12 |
4.919 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na2CaSiO4 |
2.821 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Na2GdMg2V3O12 |
4.115 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na2LuMg2V3O12 |
4.332 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na2YMg2V3O12 |
3.668 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na3Li3Al2F12 |
2.77 |
2 |
(Mohs) |
(011)-i |
– |
Na3Li3Ga2F12 |
3.20 |
2 |
(Mohs) |
None |
– |
Na3Li3In2F12 |
3.54 |
2 |
(Mohs) |
None |
– |
Na3Li3Sc2F12 |
2.66 |
2 |
(Mohs) |
None |
– |
Na3Sc2V3O12 |
3.342 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Na8Al6Si6O24Cl2 |
2.27 |
5.5 (Mohs) |
(110)-i |
Insoluble |
|
NaBr |
3.203 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
91 (20) |
NaCdMg2F7 |
3.968 |
– |
|
– |
– |
NaCdZn2F7 |
4.838 |
– |
|
– |
– |
NaCl |
2.165 |
18 |
(200) |
(100)-p |
39.8 (0) |
NaF |
2.588 |
60 |
|
(100)-p |
4.2 (18) |
5NaF-9YF3 |
4.22 |
2 |
(Mohs) |
None |
Insoluble |
NaI |
3.667 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
179 (20) |
Pb(NO3)2 |
4.530 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Pb2Sb2O7 |
– |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
PbF2 |
8.24 |
200 |
|
(111)-p |
0.064 (20) |
PbS |
7.5 |
2.5–2.75 (Mohs)(100)-p |
6.6 × 10–5 |
||
PbSe |
8.10 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
Insoluble |
PbTe |
8.164 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
Insoluble |
Rb2KGaF6 |
3.751 |
– |
|
None |
– |
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
Physical Properties of Isotropic Crystalline Materials—continued
Cubic |
Density |
Hardness |
Cleavage |
Solubility (ºC) |
|
material |
(g/cm3) |
(kg/mm2) |
plane |
(g/100 g H2O) |
|
Rb2NaInF6 |
4.302 |
– |
|
None |
– |
RbBr |
3.35 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
98 (5) |
RbCaF3 |
3.632 |
– |
|
– |
– |
RbCl |
2.80 |
– |
|
(100)-p |
77 (0) |
RbF |
– |
– |
|
(100)-p |
367 (18) |
RbI |
3.55 |
1.0 (Mohs) |
(100)-p |
152 (17) |
|
RbZnF3 |
5.007 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Sb2O3 |
5.50 |
2–2.5 (Mohs) |
(111)-i |
Insoluble |
|
Sc2O3 |
3.840 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Si |
2.33 |
1150 |
|
(111) |
Insoluble |
β-SiC |
3.214 |
2880 |
|
– |
Insoluble |
β-SiC (CVD) |
3.21 |
2540 |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Sr3Al2O6 |
4.136 |
– |
|
– |
– |
Sr3Gd(PO4)3 |
– |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Sr3In2Ge3O12 |
5.632 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Sr3La(PO4)3 |
– |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Sr3Sc2Ge3O12 |
4.838 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Sr6Nb2O11 |
5.0 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
Sr6Ta2O11 |
6.088 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
SrF2 |
4.24 |
130 |
|
(111)-p |
0.012 (20) |
SrSnO3 |
6.432 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
SrTiO3 |
5.122 |
595 |
|
None |
Insoluble |
SrVO3 |
5.46 |
– |
|
– |
– |
ThO2 |
9.86 |
600 |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Tl(Br,I) |
7.371 |
40 |
(500) |
None |
– |
Tl(Cl,Br) |
7.192 |
39 |
(500) |
None |
<0.32 (20) |
Tl2O3 |
10.35 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
TlBr |
7.557 |
12 |
(500) |
None |
0.05 (25) |
TlCl |
7.604 |
13 |
(500) |
None |
0.32 (20) |
Y2O3 |
5.01 |
875 |
|
– |
1.8 x 10–5 (20) |
Y2Ti2O7 |
4.987 |
1099 |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Y3Al5O12 |
4.56 |
135 |
(200) |
None |
Insoluble |
Y3Ga5O12 |
5.79 |
7.0 (Moh) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Y3In2Ga3O12 |
6.03 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Y3Sc2Al3O12 |
4.55 |
– |
|
None |
Insoluble |
Y3Sc2Ga3O12 |
5.184 |
7.0 (Moh) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
Zn4B6O13 |
4.19 |
– |
|
– |
– |
ZnAl2O4 |
4.62 |
7.5 (Moh) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
ZnGa2O4 |
6.089 |
7.0 (Moh) |
None |
Insoluble |
|
β-ZnS |
4.09 |
178 |
|
(110)-p |
6.9 × 10–4 (18) |
β-ZnS (CVD) |
4.04 |
178 |
|
– |
– |
ZnSe |
5.42 |
137 |
|
(110)-p |
0.001(25) |
ZnSiAs2 |
4.747 |
– |
|
– |
Insoluble |
© 2003 by CRC Press LLC
