Two techniques are presented for measuring the refractive index of fluids. The first is a reflective technique where liquid is applied to a rough surface to hold the, liquid during measurement. Ellipsometric psi and delta data are acquired and analyzed to determine the fluid refractive index. The second technique is refractive and uses a hollow prism cell to contain the liquid. The fluid index is then determined using the prism minimum deviation technique. Both techniques have been applied over a very wide spectral range from the vacuum ultraviolet to the infrared and have been implemented on a research spectroscopic ellipsometer system (VUV-VASE(R)) with continuously variable angle of incidence. The refractive index of several candidate immersion fluids for 157 and 193 nm immersion lithography are reported over the spectral range from 156 to 1700 nm in a nitrogen-purged environment. The advantages and disadvantages of both techniques are discussed. Results were checked against values measured on very accurate prism minimum deviation equipment at NIST, and agreement with NIST has been found to be good on all fluids measured. (C) 2004 American Vacuum Society.