Analysis of Thermal Variation of Length and Refractive Index of Lead Fluoride to Study its Optical Properties

Abstract

AbstractLinear thermal expansion and refractive index variation have been measured in lead fluoride with a laser interferometer as a function of temperature. Data has been analyzed using the Lorentz-Lorenz relation. Molecular polarizability, band gap, variation of refractive index with density, and strain-polarizability parameter have been studied as a function of temperature. They exhibit a small variation with temperature except near the superionic phase transition where the variation appears to be more pronounced. The results are in good agreement with the published data near room temperature.