Optical, constants properties

Smectites are stmcturaUy similar to pyrophylUte [12269-78-2] or talc [14807-96-6], but differ by substitutions mainly in the octahedral layers. Some substitution may occur for Si in the tetrahedral layer, and by F for OH in the stmcture. Deficit charges in smectite are compensated by cations (usually Na, Ca, K) sorbed between the three-layer (two tetrahedral and one octahedral, hence 2 1) clay mineral sandwiches. These are held relatively loosely, although stoichiometricaUy, and give rise to the significant cation exchange properties of the smectite. Representative analyses of smectite minerals are given in Table 3. The deterrnination of a complete set of optical constants of the smectite group is usually not possible because the individual crystals are too small. Representative optical measurements may, however, be found in the Uterature (42,107). 

Fig. 3. Variation of autocorrelation function with changes in the equilibrium constant in the fast reaction limit. A and B have different diffusion coefficients but the same optical (fluorescence) properties. This figure illustrates how, for the simple isomerization process, A B, a change in the diffusion coefficient is sufficient to indicate the progress of the reaction. This example is calculated for a two-dimensional (planar) system in the fast reaction limit (kf + k ) 4Dj /w2. Therefore, only a single diffusion process is...

A very common and useful approach to studying the plasma polymerization process is the careful characterization of the polymer films produced. A specific property of the films is then measured as a function of one or more of the plasma parameters and mechanistic explanations are then derived from such a study. Some of the properties of plasma-polymerized thin films which have been measured include electrical conductivity, tunneling phenomena and photoconductivity, capacitance, optical constants, structure (IR absorption and ESCA), surface tension, free radical density (ESR), surface topography and reverse osmosis characteristics. So far relatively few of these measurements were made with the objective of determining mechanisms of plasma polymerization. The motivation in most instances was a specific application of the thin films. Considerable emphasis on correlations between mass spectroscopy in polymerizing plasmas and ESCA on polymer films with plasma polymerization mechanisms will be given later in this chapter based on recent work done in this laboratory. 

It is well known that the SPR may be registered as the sharp minimum of the reflection coefficient for the plane-parallel light which depends on the incidence angle. The position of the resonance angle and the minimum depth of the incidence are determined by the parameters of the metal layer, and the optical constants of the external medium. As molecules adsorb and interact at the gold surface, the dielectric properties of the formed layer change, which leads to the transformation of the resonance curve and to the displacement of the resonance angle [7, 9, 15]. 

Common liquids are optically isotropic, and the solids that physicists seem to like most are cubic and therefore isotropic. As a consequence, treatments of optical properties, particularly from a microscopic point of view, usually favor isotropic matter. Among the host of naturally occurring sohds, however, most are not isotropic. This somewhat complicates both theory and experiment for example, measurements of optical constants must be made with oriented crystals and polarized light. But because of the prevalence of optically anisotropic solids, we are compelled to extend the classical models to embrace this added complexity. 

The optical properties of water have been studied for centuries the modern results are scattered throughout the literature of many scientific fields. Fortunately, several authors have critically surveyed the literature on H20 and have assembled collections of optical constants for broad wavelength ranges. I hese reviews include those by Irvine and Pollack (1968), Hale and Querry... 

Predicting optical properties of atmospheric aerosols from calculations for homogeneous, spherical particles leaves much to be desired. Mie theory may be a gross oversimplification. In addition, there may not be accurate optical constants for the constituents, even those that are known and they may not all be known. Yet even minor constituents can be major contributors to absorption. 

Kreibig, U., 1974. Electronic properties of small silver particles the optical constants and their temperature dependence, J. Phys. F., 4, 999-1014. 

The scattering function Kc/Rg is the quantity directly related to the physical properties of interest. It consists of an optical constant K times the concentration, divided by the Rayleigh ratio. The constant K is defined by... 

The large span of applications of GaN based semiconductors has focused attention on the properties of these compounds. The aim of this Datareview is to quote recent results on the bandedge of GaN. Also, since GaN will be the basis of blue-UV laser diodes, for instance as the guiding layer, the determination of its optical constants will be examined. 

When optical anisotropies form spontaneously in the polymeric film during deposition, the situation is more complicated. Significant effects are observed in optical and spectroscopic properties, such as LED emission [17] and waveguide propagation [45-50,52,64], For these films, accurate evaluation of the optical constants is more difficult and must be based on variable incidence angle measurements, as in the case of surface plasmon resonance [45-47], waveguide propagation [48-50,52], ellipsometry [64,67], and reflectance/transmittance [68]. 

In this chapter we have reviewed a number of techniques used for optical characterization of organic samples, in particular those concerning the determination of complex optical constants and the dynamics of elementary photoexcitations. It has been stressed that very good optical quality samples are needed in order to obtain reliable estimates of the refractive index. In general, samples with controlled morphology, low defect and impurity concentration, and good optical quality allow more reliable photophysical studies and hence better determination of the intrinsic properties of the material. 

---