Wavelength/frequency & it's effect on optical properties

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    Optical Properties
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mathematical relationships between the wavelength or frequency of electromagnetic radiation and the optical properties of materials, specifically focusing on the scattering coefficient, absorption coefficient, and anisotropy factor. Participants explore whether a single governing equation exists for all types of electromagnetic radiation and materials.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if there is a universal equation relating wavelength or frequency to optical properties across all materials.
  • Another participant asserts that no single equation exists for all materials or frequencies, noting that the response to an electromagnetic field varies significantly among gases, solid dielectrics, metals, and other states of matter.
  • This participant highlights the dielectric constant, ε(ω), as a fundamental property that influences optical behavior.
  • Several references to literature are provided, including "Classical Electrodynamics" by Jackson and "Feynman's Lectures," suggesting these may contain relevant information.
  • Additional recommendations for engineering texts are made, indicating that graduate-level resources may provide practical insights.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that no single equation governs all materials and frequencies, but there is no consensus on the implications of this or the existence of a unifying principle beyond the dielectric constant.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects a variety of materials and contexts, indicating that assumptions about material properties and their dependence on frequency are not fully resolved.

NSX
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Hello everyone, I'm not sure if this is in the correct topic, so please move to a correct one if need be.

Are there any mathematical relationships between the wavelength or frequency of an electromagnetic ray and the optical properties of a material?

By optical properties, I mean the scattering coefficient ([itex]\mu_s[/itex]), absorption coefficient ([itex]\mu_a[/itex]), and anisotropy factor (g).

i.e. [tex]f(\lambda or f) = stuff and \mu_s[/tex], etc.

Preferably, there would be only one equation, which governs all types of emr's and materials, but I don't know if there is such thing.

If not, literature pointing to similar things would be great too!

Thanks
 
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Neither is there one equation for all types of materials nor usually, for all frequencies.

The response to an EM field is different in gases, solid dielectrics and metals (not to say anything about glasses, molecular solids, liquid crystals, plasmas, etc.) And even for a metal, the low frequency behavior is quite different from the high frequency limit. This is not to say that there isn't a single underlying property that is at the root of this. There is - it is the dielectric constant, [itex]\epsilon(\omega)[/itex].

As to literature, here are a couple that come to mind :

Classical Electrodynamics, Jackson
Feynman's Lectures (-Vol. 2, I think), Feynman, Leighton, Sands
 
Last edited:
Gokul43201 said:
Neither is there one equation for all types of materials nor usually, for all frequencies.

The response to an EM field is different in gases, solid dielectrics and metals (not to say anything about glasses, molecular solids, liquid crystals, plasmas, etc.) And even for a metal, the low frequency behavior is quite different from the high frequency limit. This is not to say that there isn't a single underlying property that is at the root of this. There is - it is the dielectric constant, [itex]\epsilon(\omega)[/itex].

As to literature, here are a couple that come to mind :

Classical Electrodynamics, Jackson
Feynman's Lectures (-Vol. 2, I think), Feynman, Leighton, Sands

ah, thanks Gokul43201!

I was getting the idea that there is no underlying equation, because the papers I've read dealt with different materials, and also had different equations to find out such coefficients.

I will check out the Feynman Lecture as you suggested.

:smile:
 
Some engineering texts on this will be helpful. Try this. It's graduate level but
gets down to brass tacks quickly.

http://www.elx.com.au/item/0471621943
 
Last edited by a moderator:
THis is a good book too - "Electrodynamics of solids" - Dressel & Gruner, Camb. Univ. Press
 

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