refidx2se

A lightweight Python interface to the refractiveindex.info database, with built-in conversion to refellips RI objects for spectroscopic ellipsometry workflows.

Features

• Search the full refractiveindex.info catalog by material name (case-insensitive, partial matching).
• Load any material entry directly into a refellips.RI object — no manual file management.
• Wavelength ranges are automatically clipped to the material's valid range.
• Catalog fetched from GitHub and cached in-process — only one network request per session.

Installation

pip install refidx2se

Or from source:

git clone https://github.com/agauer/refidx2se.git
cd refidx2se
pip install -e ".[dev]"

Quick start

import numpy as np
import refidx2se
from refellips.reflect_modelSE import ReflectModelSE
from refellips.dispersion import RI, load_material

# 1. Explore available entries
refidx2se.print_material_options("SiO2")
# 4 entries matching 'SiO2':
#   option   shelf        book                      page                                description
#   -------- ------------ ------------------------- ----------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
#   0        main         SiO2                      Malitson                            Malitson 1965: n 0.21–6.7 µm
#   1        main         SiO2                      ...

# 2. Pick one by index
shelf, book, page = refidx2se.return_material_option("SiO2", idx=0)

# 3. Load into refellips
wavelengths = np.linspace(400, 900, 200)   # nm
ri = refidx2se.rim_to_refellips(shelf, book, page, wavelengths)

# 4. Create a model
si = load_material("silicon")
air = RI("/path/to/refellips/materials/air.csv")

est_thickness = 20  # Å
min_thickness = 1
max_thickness = 50

sio2 = ri(est_thickness)
sio2.thick.setp(vary=True, bounds=(min_thickness, max_thickness))

stack = air() | sio2 | si()
model = ReflectModelSE(stack)

# 5. Continue with refellips analysis

API reference

search_material(book: str) -> list[dict]

Returns all catalog entries whose book name contains book (case-insensitive). Each dict has keys shelf, book, page, name.

return_material_option(book: str, idx: int = 0) -> tuple[str, str, str]

Returns (shelf, book, page) for the idx-th match. Raises ValueError if no matches exist or idx is out of range.

print_material_options(book: str) -> None

Pretty-prints a numbered table of all matches — handy for interactive use.

rim_to_refellips(shelf, book, page, wavelengths_nm) -> refellips.RI

Fetches the material from refractiveindex.info, clips the requested wavelength array to the material's valid range, and returns a refellips.RI object. Missing k data is silently replaced with zeros.

License

MIT — see LICENSE.