Calcium Fluoride - CaF2

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) is a crystalline compound with a cubic crystal structure. It is a popular optical material with a wide range of applications due to its unique optical properties. Some of the key optical properties of calcium fluoride include:

1. High transmittance: Calcium fluoride has a high transmittance across a wide range of wavelengths, making it a useful material for applications in ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

2. Low refractive index: Calcium fluoride has a relatively low refractive index of 1.43, making it useful for optical components such as lenses and prisms.

3. Low dispersion: Calcium fluoride has a low dispersion, meaning that it is able to transmit light of different wavelengths without significant color separation or distortion.

4. Low absorption: Calcium fluoride has a low absorption coefficient, which means that it is able to transmit light with minimal loss. This property makes it useful for optical components in high-power laser systems.

5. High thermal stability: Calcium fluoride has a high thermal stability, allowing it to be used in high-temperature applications without significant degradation of its optical properties.

6. High resistance to radiation damage: Calcium fluoride is highly resistant to radiation damage, making it useful in applications that involve exposure to radiation.

Overall, the combination of high transmittance, low absorption, low dispersion, and high thermal stability makes calcium fluoride a useful material for a variety of optical applications, including lenses, prisms, windows, and mirrors.