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Ellipsometry of rough surfaces.

T V Vorburger, K C Ludema

|March 11, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Ellipsometry effectively measures surface roughness on periodic and random surfaces. Variations in ellipsometric angles correlate with surface texture, even after material changes, suggesting its potential as a surface metrology tool.

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Area of Science:

Surface Science
Optical Metrology
Materials Science

Background:

Surface roughness significantly impacts material properties and performance.
Accurate measurement of surface texture is crucial for quality control and scientific understanding.
Ellipsometry is a non-contact optical technique sensitive to surface properties.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare ellipsometry measurements with stylus profilometry for characterizing rough surfaces.
To investigate the relationship between surface texture and ellipsometric angles (Delta and psi).
To evaluate the potential of ellipsometry as a tool for measuring surface roughness.

Main Methods:

Ellipsometry measurements were performed on various rough surfaces, including periodic and random profiles.
Stylus profilometry was used to measure the surface texture for comparison.
Surface composition was altered by evaporating aluminum (Al) and gold (Au) to assess material independence.

Main Results:

For periodic surfaces, rapid variations in Delta and psi near diffraction minima were observed, explained by Kirchhoff theory (interference of reflected light).
For random surfaces, Delta and psi systematically varied with surface texture, persisting after material deposition.
Observed systematic effects for random surfaces differed from previous studies and were not fully explained by Kirchhoff theory.

Conclusions:

Ellipsometry shows promise as a technique for quantifying surface roughness.
The influence of surface roughness on ellipsometric signals is significant and material-independent.
Further theoretical development is needed to fully explain ellipsometry's response to random surface textures.