Abbe refractometer

An Abbe refractometer is a bench-top device for the high-precision measurement of an index of refraction. An Abbe refractometer is a bench-top device for the high-precision measurement of an index of refraction. Ernst Abbe (1840–1905), working for Carl Zeiss AG in Jena, Germany in the late 19th century, was the first to develop a laboratory refractometer. These first instruments had built-in thermometers and required circulating water to control instrument and fluid temperatures. They also had adjustments for eliminating the effects of dispersion and analog scales from which the readings were taken.