Tantalum oxide refractive index

Dielectric used in film supercapacitors. Tantalum oxide is a high-refractive index, low-absorption material usable for making optical coatings from the near-UV (350 nm) to the IR (8 p.m). Insoluble in most chemicals except HF, HF—HNO3 mixtures, oleum, fused alkaU metal hydroxides (e.g. NaOH and KOH) and molten pyrosulfates. Tantalum pentoxide (tantalite, tantala)... 

In this paper we describe, for the first time, a self-assembly technique that employs alkyl phosphoric acid esters to produce dense, highly ordered monolayers in a tails-up configuration, on a TazOs surface. Tantalum oxide was chosen because of its high refractive index, which renders it ideal for application in a planar-waveguide-based bioaffinity sensor. Upon appropriate m-function-alization, alkanephosphate-based SAMs have the potential to be used as the interface that anchors active sensing elements or as the basis of passive, biomolecule-resistant regions on the sensor surface. 

Oxides of transition metals, such as niobium, tantalum, or titanium, are suitable as waveguiding layers on optical (grating coupler) waveguides due to their high refractive index and transparency. Therefore, oxide-coated chips are used as sensing devices in technology based on the interaction of a laser-induced evanescent field with analyte constituents adsorbed on or immobilized at the waveguide/ fluid interface. ... 

World consumption of tantalum was about 2000 tonnes in 2001. Tantalum, like niobium, is used in superalloys based on nickel and cobalt, intended for aircraft engines and other high-temperature applications. Tantalum carbide TaC is, to a limited extent, used as a hard component in cemented carbide. The oxide is used to make special glass with a high refractive index for camera lenses Two tantalum properties have, however, given the metal its special importance in modern industry. 

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