Hardness measurements of metals with the complex refractive index

摘要

In this work is shown that hardness properties of metals can be related with its refraction index. Given a metal, its surface hardness is a function of the molecular structure which can be studied with the refraction of optical radiation. In general refraction index of conductors are complex, it produces reflected light with elliptical polarization. It is observed that the ellipse rotates for different hardness of a given metal. Different hardness of two types of steel are measured as well as their respective rotation. The measurements show that there exist a direct relation between the hardness and the refraction index.