Optical Properties of Polystyrene in the Vacuum Ultraviolet

Abstract

Measurements are reported of the optical properties of polystyrene in the wavelength region from 400 to 3000 Å. The real (n) and imaginary (k) parts of the complex index of refraction were obtained from reflectance measured at 20° and 70° incidence. The complex dielectric constant and the energy‐loss function were determined from these values of n and k. The energy‐loss function Im (1/ε), was found to exhibit maxima at 4.6, 5.2, 6.5, 8.5, and 19.2 eV. Sum rule calculations of the effective number of electrons per monomeric unit participating in these losses have been carried out.