What is the effect of refractive index on laser diffraction particle size analysis?

The laser diffraction particle size analysis based on the Mie theory guarantees the accuracy of the measurement result, in which the complex refractive index plays a major role.

For small particles whose size approaches the wavelength of the light source interacting with them, complex refractive indices with slight differences can produce completely different measurement results. With the development of new materials, composite materials, and mixed materials, the determination of the complex refractive index is difficult.

Therefore, measurement of the complex refractive index prior to particle size analysis ensures the reliability and accuracy of the measurement result.