Tin is an element with atomic number 50 and symbol Sn. Tin mostly comes from the mineral cassiterite, where it occurs as tin dioxide, SnO2. The most commonly encountered tin is white β-tin (a metallic form) which exists at room temperature. The other allotrope α-tin (nonmetallic form) exists at temperatures below 13 degrees Celsius while γ-tin and σ-tin exist at temperatures above 161 degrees Celsius. Tin is useful in manufacturing float glass, where molten glass rests on top of molten tin in order to create a flat surface. Tin can develop an oxide layer when exposed to air-- usually a SnO2 with a layer of SnO below.

For a typical sample of Sn the refractive index and extinction coefficient at 632.8 nm are 2.384 and 4.72675. Below are files of complete refractive index and extinction coefficients. If the file is not available for download, you can request our proprietary file by clicking "Request".

Refractive Index Reference - Filmetrics Composite

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