Short Description
Spectroscopic ellipsometers are used to determine the optical properties of thin films and surfaces with monolayer sensitivity (surface physics/analytics).
Therefore, a reflective, planar surface is required. The imaging ellipsometer can analyze lateral structures with a spatial resolution down to 1 µm in the wavelength range between 190 nm and 1700 nm. By means of the change in polarization of the light reflected at various adjustable angles of incidence, the complex dielectric function or complex refractive index, as well as the film thickness (approx. 0.1–10,000 nm), can be determined. Furthermore, anisotropic optical properties (the dielectric tensor) can be determined by considering different angles of incidence and various azimuthal sample orientations.
The instrument’s Mueller-matrix extension further enables the analysis of light depolarization. The extraction of the sample properties from the measured polarization-optical data requires an optical layer model and a dedicated software. In complex sample structures, the number of independently determinable parameters is limited. If necessary, complementary measurement methods must be employed, or separate measurements must be performed on substrates, for example.
Contact Person
Dr. Christoph Cobet
Research Services
Research Services upon request
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
Potential applications of the imaging Müller-matrix-ellipsometer cover almost all typical applications of spectroscopic ellipsometry that can be performed under cleanroom conditions.
Allocation to research infrastructure
JKU website: http://www.jku.at/zona/