We present accurate measurements for the optical constants for a series of organic liquids, including organophosphorous compounds. Bulk liquids are rarely encountered in the environment, but more commonly are present as droplets of liquids or thin layers on various substrates. Providing reference spectra to account for the plethora of morphological conditions that may be encountered under different scenarios is a challenge. An alternative approach is to provide the complex optical constants, n and k, which can be used to model the optical phenomena in media and at interfaces, minimizing the need for a vast number of laboratory measurements. In this work, we present improved protocols for measuring the optical constants for a series of liquids that span from 7800 to 400 cm-1. The broad spectral range means that one needs to account for both strong and weak spectral features that are encountered, all of which can be useful for detection, depending on the scenario. To span this dynamic range, both long and short cells are required for accurate measurements. These protocols are presented along with experimental and modeling results for thin layers of silicone oil on aluminum.
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