Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 28, 2026

Atomic Layer Deposition of Vanadium Dioxide and a Temperature-dependent Optical Model
Published on: May 23, 2018
Infrared-optical properties of vapour-deposited metal films
Martin Buskühl1, Ernst-Heiner Korte
1Institut für Spektrochemie und Angewandte Spektroskopie, Albert-Einstein-Str 9, 12489 Berlin-Adlershof, Germany.
Abstract:
Spectroscopic infrared ellipsometry was applied to determine the optical constants of thin metal layers deposited on dielectric substrates such as glass or CaF(2). The layers were produced by evaporating gold or silver in a vacuum, and the coverage, that is the deposited mass per area, was chosen in the range 80-1200 mg m(-2) for gold, which refers to thicknesses in the lower nanometer range; in the case of the specifically lighter silver, about half the coverage was applied. At low coverage a metal island structure is obtained, which gives rise to surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA). Depending on the coverage, the deposited films exhibit either dielectric or metallic optical properties. Atomic force microscopy and conductivity measurements complement the spectroscopic observation.
Related Concept Videos
Infrared (IR) Spectroscopy: Overview
Different compounds display unique properties due to their...
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
IR Spectrum
Transmittance is defined as the ratio of the radiant power passing through a sample to that from the radiation's source. Multiplying the transmittance by 100 gives the percent transmittance (%T), which varies between 100% (no absorption) and 0% (complete...
IR Spectroscopy: Hooke's Law Approximation of Molecular Vibration
According to Hooke's law, the vibrational frequency is directly proportional to the...
IR Frequency Region: Fingerprint Region
The...
IR Absorption Frequency: Delocalization
In IR spectroscopy,...

