# Refractive index

Hi
1)Does refractive index varies when we are dealing with different waves? for example the refractive index for a typical glass is 1.5 when a visible light passes through it. Does it the same for x rays?
2) there is a complex formula which describes the refractive index: n = 1- δ - iβ. how is the proof of this formula?

Related Classical Physics News on Phys.org
1) Yes refractive index of a material varies with wavelength of the radiation incident on it.

alikazemi7
Refractive index changes with variation of waves, yes. And that formula looks familiar, I think I saw it in Feynman's lecture in physics, but I don't think the proof was given there, the proof may be too complex.

alikazemi7
vanhees71
Gold Member
2019 Award
A quite simple model for the dielectric function of a homogeneous material (and thus the refraction index) is to assume a completely classical system of bound charges, which are only slightly disturbed by the incoming electromagnetic wave and thus linear-response theory is applicable. So you can just assume that the charges of the material are bound harmonically and have some "friction" (dissipation). It's a bit lengthy to work this out here. You find an excellent treatment of this classical dispersion theory in

A. Sommerfeld, Lectures on theoretical physics, vol. 4 (optics)

artyb
blue_leaf77
$$n=\sqrt{\epsilon} = \sqrt{1+\chi} = \sqrt{1+\chi_R+i\hspace{0.5mm}\chi_I}$$