Diffractive Refractometer Based on Scalar Theory

The measurement of the refractive index typically requires the use of optical ellipsometry which, although potentially very accurate, is extremely sensitive to the structural properties of the sample and its theoretical modeling, and typically requires specialized expertise to obtain reliable output data. Here, we propose a simple diffractive method for the measurement of the refractive index of homogenous solid thin films, which requires only the structuring of the surface of the material to be measured with the profile of a diffraction grating. The refractive index of an exemplary soft-moldable material is successfully estimated over a wide wavelength range by simply incorporating the measured topography and diffraction efficiency of the grating into a convenient scalar theory-based diffraction model. Without the need for specialized expertise and equipment, the method can serve as a simple and widely accessible optical characterization of materials useful in material science and photonics applications.

Automated summary

We propose a simple diffractive method for measuring the refractive index of homogeneous solid thin films by structuring the surface with a diffraction grating. The refractive index of a soft-moldable material is successfully estimated by incorporating the measured topography and diffraction efficiency of the grating into a scalar theory-based diffraction model. This method provides a simple and widely accessible optical characterization of materials, useful in material science and photonics applications, without the need for specialized expertise and equipment.